This Girl Is Trouble
by subway20
Summary: (Slight)A/U. Paige and Emily meet in the back seat of a cop car. And later, on Emily's window seat. Paily story, meant to be a one-shot, but now a multi-chapter fic. I hope you don't mind ;)
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Once again, _siophiefandom_ did the betareading and as usual, she did an amazing job. Thanks again! ;)**

* * *

When she saw them, it was too late. Too late to run again, too late even to try to do something. The older one already had a firm grip on her arm, and the younger cop, the one who had that smug grin on his face, was facing her, blocking the way.

"Okay Miss, it's over," said the older cop in a calming tone. "No more running. You'd better cooperate now, and everything will be fine, okay? We don't want anybody to get hurt, do we, Darren?" he added, glancing at his colleague who just shrugged.

"Do you have any ID?" the man asked, and Emily handed him her purse. Her hands were trembling, despite her efforts to stay cool.

The older cop looked at Emily's ID and frowned. "You're a minor," he said.

"I turn eighteen in two weeks," Emily objected, before biting her lip and looking down. It was true, but it was pointless, really.

"Whatever," the other cop barked. "We have to tell your parents. I'm sure they will be delighted to learn that their teenage daughter has been arrested," he said with a sneering grin.

"You're... you're going to arrest me?" Emily stammered. "But I didn't... I mean, I didn't _really_ steal anything..."

"Only because the security guard called you. And we saw you running from the store, and dropping the item you stole. There's no use denying it, Miss," said the older man.

Emily sighed. _Well, I guess I'm trapped. Damn it, Hanna!_

Hanna Marin, her long-time friend, was the one who had the idea in the first place. It had started with a bet - she challenged Emily to do something risky, for once (of the two, Emily was always the quiet and even shy girl, while Hanna was the wild one).

Emily suggested something she knew she could handle, like a physical challenge (climbing the school fence during night hours, for instance), but Hanna had other ideas. She had even written a bucket list for the "soon-to-be-eighteen gals", as she called them. Stealing something from a store was on the top of the list, unfortunately.

And now Emily was there, surrounded by two police officers, and about to be arrested for something she didn't even want to do. She felt on the verge of tears, but she didn't want to cry now, especially in front of this young blonde cop, who was staring at her with such arrogance.

" _Emily Fields_ ," the younger cop read, looking closely at Emily's ID. "Fields... Fields... that rings a bell... hey, wait, your old man is in the army, right?"

Emily looked down, mortified. _Of course, he has to know. Rosewood is such a small town._

"He'll certainly be thrilled when we tell him we've arrested his teenage daughter," the young cop continued, his eyes sparkling with triumph.

"That's enough, Wilden," his colleague warned him. "Just read the girl her rights and get her in the car."

Emily couldn't look at the man when he read her her rights. Her head was buzzing, and her heart was hammering in her chest. It was like being in a movie scene, except it was real, and it was happening to her. Of all people. She had never done everything wrong, in all her life. Well, so far.

She gasped when she saw the young obnoxious cop waving some handcuffs at her, but the older cop stopped him.

"We don't need these, Darren. Right, Miss?" he asked Emily in a softer tone.

Emily nodded, her throat tight, and followed the two men to their car, which was parked at the entrance to the alley.

Wilden opened the back door and motioned for her to get in. Emily obeyed, and did a double take when she realized that she wasn't alone. A teenage girl was already there, handcuffed to the backseat.

"Hey," said the girl in a husky voice. "Welcome on board, Dream Girl."

Her tone was a strange mix of irony and despair. Emily glared at her, but the girl's face was hidden by a tangled mass of auburn hair. She was wearing worn out blue jeans, and a black leather jacket.

"Shut up, McCullers," Wilden barked. "Don't talk to her. She's not a jailbird like you. Well, not yet," he added with a wink, looking at Emily in the rearview mirror. Emily curled up in her seat. She had never felt so miserable in her entire life.

The car drove off, and for a while the only sound inside the vehicle was the muffled noises coming from the police radio.

Emily kept her eyes glued to the floor, trying to collect her thoughts. What was going to happen now? Surely they were going to take her to the police station, but they couldn't put her in jail, right? Emily shuddered at the thought. No, she was overreacting. They would probably call her mom first. Which wasn't much better. Pam Fields was a loving mother, but Emily knew all too well what her reaction would be in such a circumstance.

Integrity and honesty were among the core values of the Fields family. And her dad... Emily felt her heart aching at the mere thought of Wayne Fields. The serviceman was still stationed in Texas, and hadn't seen his family for months. He would be devastated to learn that his daughter had been arrested.

Emily let out a sob, unable to stop the tears from welling in her eyes. That went unnoticed by the two cops, who were casually talking in the front seat, but wasn't lost on Emily's unfortunate companion.

Emily felt something touching her right shoe, and realized it was the other girl's foot. She sniffled and glanced at the girl, who was staring at her with a concerned look.

"You-okay?" the auburn girl mouthed, and Emily just nodded.

"It's gonna be all right, Dream Girl," the girl whispered. "Unless you've killed someone, but I highly doubt it."

Emily couldn't help but let out a small laugh, surprising herself and the girl.

From the front seat, Wilden glanced at them. "I said, don't talk," he warned. "Especially you, McCullers. Next time I hear your voice, I swear... you don't want another black eye, do you?"

"Darren!" the older cop said in a warning tone, and Wilden mumbled something, but looked back at the road in front of him.

Emily's mind was racing. Who was this McCullers girl? What had she done? And did she really have a black eye? From where she was, she couldn't see the girl's face well enough to tell.

As if she was guessing Emily's thoughts, the other girl turned slightly to her left, facing Emily as well as she could muster, considering she was handcuffed to the seat.

She looked right in Emily's eyes, her own deep brown orbs challenging Emily's, and the tanned girl gasped. The teenager really was sporting a black eye, and also a small cut on her right cheek. And she had red marks on her wrists, where the handcuffs were fastened.

 _Is she hurt?_ A worried Emily thought. _Are the cops responsible for that? Are they going to hit me, too?_

As if their minds were connected, the auburn girl shook her head and winked at Emily.

"Don't worry, Dream Girl," she mouthed, and Emily stiffened in her seat.

"Don't call me that," she warned, before remembering she wasn't supposed to talk. She took a glance at the cops, but the two men weren't paying attention to her anymore.

The auburn girl made a face at Emily. Her big brown eyes were now sparkling with mischief. Emily shrugged, and turned her eyes to the window at her left. They were approaching downtown Rosewood, where the police station was located.

Suddenly, the radio went off, and a woman's voice said " _Officers, I need you at this new bar, the Brew, there's a fight right outside. Three men involved, possibly drunk."_

"We're on it," the older cop answered, and the car turned left.

"I hate Friday nights," Wilden mumbled, earning a small laugh from his partner.

"What were you expecting when you enlisted, Darren?"

The blonde cop didn't bother answering, and parked the car on the next street, just in front of the bar. He turned to face the girls in the back seat.

"Listen, you two. We have to take care of that. We are going to lock you in the car, so just stay quiet. Don't even dare to move a finger. Understood?" he barked.

The auburn girl shrugged, without even looking at the young man, who rushed outside the vehicle, slamming the car door behind him. His partner was still in his seat. The older man sighed and cleared his throat. "Okay girls, just be nice, and stay right here."

"It's not as if we have a choice," the other girl snapped. "Me especially, with the fucking handcuffs and all. By the way, it hurts like hell."

"Language, Paige," the man said, before stepping out of the car.

 _Paige? That's a pretty name for a tough girl_ , Emily thought. _And how come he_ _'_ _s calling her by her first name, all of a sudden? I guess she's a regular..._

"He's my uncle," the girl said in her raspy voice, startling Emily.

"What?"

"The good cop. He's my uncle."

"Rea... really?" Emily asked, puzzled.

"Yeah," Paige shrugged.

"And... he arrested you?"

"Well, technically, yes, he did. He had no choice. I was breaking the law, you know," she said in a low voice, her eyes challenging Emily's.

"What... what did you do?" Emily asked. She couldn't help but being intrigued by the girl.

"Tonight? Not much. Just tagged a couple of walls, smoked a little pot. Nothing too bad, but when Wilden showed up, he started to threaten me, and then I spat on him," the girl explained.

"You... what?"

The auburn girl shrugged again. "I know, it was stupid, he was just trying to get on my nerves. Well, it worked. Again. And then, we started to fight."

"That's how you got the black eye? He hit you?" Emily asked, dumbfounded.

"Yeah. But you know, I hit him, too. Right in the groin. That's why he's so pissed at me," the girl said with a cocky grin.

"Wow," Emily said, at a loss for words.

"Yeah," Paige said proudly. The two girls remained silent for a while, looking outside at the two cops who were still trying to calm down the drunk customers.

"So, what did _you_ do, Dream Girl?" the auburn girl asked suddenly.

Emily frowned. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

"'Cause you're so beautiful that you don't seem real. Don't tell me you don't know that. You even look like... Princess Pocahontas," Paige said, in a surprisingly soft tone.

"She... she wasn't a princess," Emily objected. Pocahontas was her favorite character growing up, so she couldn't help but feel flattered, but she wasn't going to admit it to that girl. Certainly not.

"Wasn't she?" Paige asked, looking surprised. "Okay. My bad. Still, you really look like her. It's the hair, I think. You've got beautiful hair. It's so dark and long and... silky. Well, I guess."

Emily glared at her. "Are you... are you flirting with me?"

"And what if I am?"

"We're... we're in a cop car. We've been arrested!"

"Yeah, I know. It's not the end of the world."

"For you, maybe! It's obvious that it's not your first time!"

"You're right, it's not _my first time_ ," Paige said with a wry smile. "Do you want to know about my first time? About _all_ my first times?" she asked in a teasing tone, raising her eyebrows.

Emily shook her head vigorously, not believing her ears. "No, I... I just want you to leave me alone. Please," she squeaked, berating herself for sounding like a kid.

She could feel the girl's eyes on her, scrutinizing her.

"O-kay," Paige said after a while. "Okay, Drea... sorry, but what's your real name?"

"It's... Emily," Emily answered reluctantly.

"Emily," the girl repeated. "Emily. I like it. It suits you."

"Thanks." _I guess. And how come I feel flattered, again?_

"By the way, you didn't answer me, Emily. So, what did you do?"

"I... it was nothing, really. Shoplifting," the black-haired girl confessed. "And it wasn't even me who..."

"Yeah, yeah, we're all innocent," Paige cut her off. "Blah-blah. Please don't try to sell that to the cops. Especially to Wilden."

"I... no, it's the truth, it was just a stupid bet," Emily protested.

"Whatever it was. Just say that you're sorry, and that you'll never do it again. Don't argue with them. Don't try to be a smartass."

"Oh no, I guess that's _your_ department," the raven-haired girl replied in a beat.

"Touché," Paige said. "You're right. How do you think I know all this?" she added with a disarming smile, dipping her head.

She was cute, Emily admitted to herself. Very annoying, but cute. Very, very cute. Despite the black eye, and... All of a sudden, Emily's hand reached Paige's face, grazing the fresh cut on her cheek.

"Does it hurt?" the tanned girl asked softly, letting her fingers linger there a little longer than necessary.

"...A little," Paige said in a whisper. "I've had worse."

"Yeah, I guess you're a tough girl."

"And... you don't like ballsy women, Emily?" Paige ventured.

Emily felt her cheeks turn red. She opened her mouth to answer, but before she could even speak, she was interrupted by the return of the two police officers.

"Okay girls, party's over," Wilden barked. "We're heading to the station and I can't wait to call your folks. Especially your dad, McCullers."

The auburn girl shrugged, looking unimpressed, but Emily could swear she saw her shiver. _Is she afraid of her dad?_

The ride to the police station was very short, and silent. Wilden parked the car and his partner stepped out of the vehicle, before opening the back door and removing Paige's handcuffs. The auburn girl whispered a 'Thanks' to her uncle, and started to rub her wrists, which looked red and swollen. The older cop gave his niece a brief squeeze on the shoulder.

The two teenagers followed the officers inside the building. Without even realizing it, Emily was walking very close to Paige. She felt the other girl's fingers graze her arm, and when she looked up, Paige winked at her. Emily felt her heart racing, without really knowing the reason.

"Okay Fields, you're coming with me," Wilden barked. "Let the McCullers clan deal with their usual family drama, right, Mike?" he said to his partner.

The older man shrugged and took Paige's arm, leading the way to another room. Emily looked over her shoulder, just in time to see the auburn girl smirk at her.

* * *

Two hours later, Emily was set free. She followed a very upset Pam Fields outside the police building. Her mother had barely spoken three words to her. Not that it was surprising, Emily thought; She was expecting the cold shoulder.

What Emily wasn't expecting was to see Paige outside, apparently free as a bird. The auburn girl was casually sitting on a bench, just in front of the police station. When she spotted Emily, she waved at her, and the raven-haired girl peered at her mother, who was busy trying to find something in her purse.

"Where is that damned cell phone..." her mother muttered, and Emily cringed. It wasn't normal for her mother to curse. _She must be really mad._

"I guess I left it inside," Pam Fields said in an exasperated voice. "I have to go back, _and_ talk to that obnoxious police officer again. Thank you, really, Emily."

Emily dipped her head in shame. Without waiting for an answer, her mother turned away and walked back inside the building.

Emily sighed, her eyes still glued to the ground. Then she heard a small cough, and looked up to see the auburn girl standing right in front of her.

"Hey, Emily," said the girl in her low, raspy voice.

"Hi," Emily mumbled.

"So, how did it go?"

Emily just shrugged.

"Your mother looked pretty pissed off."

"Well, she is."

"It won't last. Trust me."

"You don't know my mother."

"You're right. But I can tell you're quite the perfect daughter, so I guess she doesn't have to worry. It was a one-time thing."

"How can you... you don't even know a single thing about me," Emily hissed. The girl was getting on her nerves. _I can't believe I found her cute before. She's just so... exasperating._

Paige raised her arms in surrender. "Okay, Dream Girl, okay. I mean, Emily. Sorry. I just wanted to check on you. The first time in this situation... it can be tough."

"How come you're free already?" Emily asked in a defiant tone. "Didn't you hit a police officer? And they let you go?"

Paige smirked. "I guess having a cop as an uncle has its perks."

"Yes, it must be so convenient," Emily grumbled.

"It is, sometimes," Paige said with a small grin. "But don't worry, my father won't be so easy on me."

Her tone was casual, but Emily remembered Paige's reaction when Wilden mentioned her father before, and she studied the girl's face. Paige was still smiling, but there was something else in her expression, something unreadable, something which made Emily feel uncomfortable.

"Enough about me," Paige said in a brief tone. "What about you? What will your... punishment be?"

"Community service," Emily confessed. "For five weeks. "

Paige smiled. "It could have been much worse. I'm sure you'll still look pretty, even in those orange suits."

Emily looked at the other girl in disbelief, but Paige's smile was a gentle one, not a teasing one. And she was right - it could have been much worse. The cops hadn't called her father in Texas, despite Wilden's earlier threats, and had agreed to let her do community service for her sentence. Mike McCullers himself had called the shop owner, and the man had settled the agreement.

"Your uncle was nice to me," Emily blurted out.

"Yes, he's one of the good guys. Too bad his niece is such a jailbird."

"You're not that bad," Emily retorted. _Why am I saying that?_

"Glad you think that," Paige grinned, and Emily rolled her eyes at her.

 _Why does she have to be so cocky? And so cute... damn it!_

"Emily!" Pam Fields' angry voice sounded from behind. "In the car! Now!"

Emily mouthed a 'bye' at Paige and rushed to the car.

"Who were you talking to?" her mother asked her once in the vehicle.

"Oh, just this girl... who was with me in the Police car," Emily answered in a cautious voice.

"She was arrested, too?" her mother asked, frowning.

"Well, yes."

"What did she do?"

"I don't know," Emily lied.

"Well, I don't want you near her. This girl is trouble, I can tell."

* * *

Two days later, on a Sunday morning, Emily was in her bedroom (Pam Fields had grounded her for one month, and had confiscated her cell phone and her computer) when she heard a weird sound coming from outside.

Approaching the window, she realized that someone had just thrown small rocks against it.

She smiled, hoping that it was one of her friends –Hanna, probably, because rock-throwing wasn't very Spencer-y. Emily had been really mad at Hanna for the last few days (after all, the bubbly blonde was the reason she got caught in the first place), but it hadn't lasted, and, now, she was missing her friends. Especially with no way to phone or text them.

Emily opened the window and leaned out. She did a double take at the sight of Paige McCullers. The auburn girl was standing on the lawn, looking up, a bright smile on her face. She was wearing the same worn out blue jeans she had in the cop car, but instead of her black leather jacket, she had a fake army jacket over a white t-shirt.

"Hey, Emily!" Paige said in her husky, sexy voice.

"What… what are you doing here?" Emily stammered. Oddly, the sight of the auburn girl was both thrilling and scary. "How do you know where I live?"

"I had your name, so it wasn't that hard. You're well known around here, Dream Girl. The most beautiful gal in the neighborhood," Paige said with her most charming smile.

"What are you trying to do?"

"What do you mean? I just thought you could use some company."

"I mean, are you… are you trying to hit on me, again?" Emily asked. _This girl is impossible._

"And again, I'm asking: do you mind?"

"You're really… you're really full of yourself, aren't you?"

"Oh, and what about you? Thinking that every girl around is hitting on you?" Paige challenged.

Emily's eyes shot daggers at the girl outside.

"Whatever," she said in a sharp tone. "The question is, what are you _really_ doing here?"

"I missed you," Paige answered simply.

Her tone sounded sincere, and against reason (and maybe against herself), Emily agreed to let her come in.

"But you have to climb up here," the raven-haired girl pointed out. "My mom locked me inside."

"No problem," Paige answered, before starting to climb up the façade.

"Be careful," Emily couldn't help but whisper. But the auburn girl was probably used to that kind of thing, because in the blink of an eye she was at the window, her face very close to Emily's.

"Hi, Dream Girl," Paige said with a broad smile, and Emily, her cheeks slighty red, grabbed her arm and pulled her inside, a little bit rougher than necessary. The two girls landed on the window seat with a loud sound.

"Easy there, tiger," Paige teased, and Emily slapped her on the shoulder, before getting up and taking a step back.

"Shut up, McCullers. Just shut up," she mumbled.

"Wow, I love it when you say my name." Paige's tone was light, but she wasn't joking. She loved Emily's voice, Emily's words, everything about Emily.

"Your black eye looks much better," Emily said abruptly.

"Yeah, it's healing," Paige said with a shrug.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Not anymore," Paige lied. Her eye was still sore, but she was supposed to be a tough girl, wasn't she?

She glanced around, an approving look on her face. "Nice room. And that window seat... I've always wanted one of these."

"My dad built it for me," Emily explained. _Why am I telling her that?_

"Yes, I'm not surprised you're a daddy's girl," Paige said in a heartbeat, before adding quickly: "Not that it's a bad thing. Not at all. I mean, who could blame him?"

With a mischievous grin, she settled herself on the window seat, her back against the window, her legs crossed. "So, Emily. Want to join me on that wicked window seat of yours?"

Emily stared at the other girl, not really sure how to react.

"...And what for, exactly?" she asked in a defiant tone.

"Whatever you want, Dream Girl," Paige retorted.

"I already told you not to..."

"Not to call you that, I know, I know. I won't do it again, I promise."

"You really think you're irresistible, don't you?" Emily said in an exasperated tone.

"Not really," Paige said. "But _you_ are."

 _She is so annoying_ , Emily thought. _But her smile is so disarming. And she's got those doe eyes, and that cute nose, and those perfect lips, and..._

As if she were reading Emily's mind, Paige smiled, and got up swiftly. She came near Emily and gently took her hand in hers. Emily gasped. Her heart was beating faster. Paige was leaning close to her, really close to her, her eyes darker than before.

"You okay, Emily?" the auburn girl asked in a surprisingly soft voice.

Emily didn't answer, but leaned forward to whisper in the other girl's ear:

"I know what you're really here for. Don't even dare deny it."

"I wasn't gonna," Paige answered in the same hushed tone, before placing a tentative kiss on Emily's cheek. "It this okay, or...?"

Emily's reaction surprised both girls.

She kissed Paige's mouth decisively, and then grabbed the other girl's hips firmly, and led her backwards onto the window seat. Paige's eyes widened in surprise, but she wasn't gonna complain. Certainly not.

She managed to quickly take off her shoes and her jacket, while continuing to kiss Emily. The raven-haired girl smiled, and made room for them on the seat, pushing some cushions away.

"Where's your mom?" Paige asked between kisses.

"At church. It's Sunday morning."

"Oh yes, of course," Paige said, biting a smile. "Lord's day. I wonder what kind of sermon the minister will give today."

"Don't push your luck, Paige."

"Sorry, sorry," Paige grinned, before kissing Emily again. She slid her right hand under Emily's shirt, up her back. Emily shivered.

"If you want me to stop, just say so, Emily, and I will," Paige muttered.

"Uh-uh," Emily said, her own fingers softly grazing the bare skin on Paige's slender neck.

They made out for a while, before Emily pulled back and asked: "Don't you think that we should, um, talk first? I mean, before… this?"

"You mean… this?," Paige asked, before leaving a trail of wet kisses along Emily's neck.

"And… that?" she added, her hand venturing under Emily's shirt, very close to her breast.

"Yes, that's… that's just what I meant," Emily moaned.

"Are you having second thoughts, Emily Fields?" Paige asked in a teasing voice.

"No, I…no, not at all. Please, don't stop," Emily begged.

And Paige didn't.

* * *

Half an hour later, Pam Fields came back from church. Her mood had improved significantly; she intended to really talk to her daughter (their previous talks, since Emily's arrest, had quickly turned into yelling sessions).

She began to climb up the stairs and stopped dead in her tracks when she heard giggles coming from Emily's room.

"Emily?" she asked in an alarmed voice.

The noise inside stopped instantly.

"Mom!?" Emily squealed.

"Emily, what's going on in there?"

"Nothing! Nothing, Mom, I was just… reading out loud... something really funny…" Emily answered in a panic. "Don't come in yet please, I'm... I'm naked!"

That wasn't entirely true; Emily still had her jeans on, and her bra, though one strap was down.

Paige, who was trying not to laugh out loud, was pretty much in the same state.

 _'Reading something funny_?' she mouthed. "That was _so_ lame."

"I know!" Emily said. "I panicked!"

She heard the key turning in the lock.

"Hide!" Emily hushed Paige. "Hide, anywhere!"

The auburn girl looked around her, her mind racing, and the next thing Emily knew, Pam Fields was in the room, and Paige was nowhere to be seen.

"Emily!" Pam said in a stern voice. "What is going on here? Why are these clothes on the floor?"

"I was... reorganizing my closet, and... trying on some clothes," Emily said, stumbling over her words.

"Really?" Pam Fields frowned. "Don't you have better things to do? And I thought you said you were reading?"

"I... I was doing that, too," a flustered Emily answered. "You know, you took my phone, and my computer, so..."

Pam Fields sighed. _Teenagers._

"Okay, Emmy. I guess I was a little too hard on you before. Please put on a shirt, brush your hair, and come on downstairs after that. Lunch will be ready soon."

"Yes, Mom," Emily answered, dipping her head.

"I don't remember you owning this jacket," Pam Fields added, pointing out to Paige's army jacket, which was on the floor.

"Oh... yes, it's... it's new," Emily answered, her face beet red.

"Well, I'm not sure it's really your style, but why not," her mother shrugged, before leaving the room and closing the door behind her.

"Oh god," Emily sighed in relief. She sat on the floor, her legs feeling weak all of a sudden.

Paige crawled back from under the bed.

"Wow, that was close, Emily," she grinned.

"It's not... it's not funny," Emily protested.

"Oh yes, it is. But don't worry, Dream... Emily," Paige corrected herself quickly. "I know how to slip away unnoticed."

"Oh," Emily said, feeling relieved and disappointed at the same time. "Okay, then."

Paige leaned towards the raven-haired girl, and whispered huskily in her ear:

"But, I'll be back. If you want me to, that is."

The smile Emily gave her then was the cutest and the brightest Paige had ever seen.

"Seriously, Paige, do you even have to ask?..."

* * *

 _ **A/N**_ … _ **I know, I know. Badass!Paige, and (not so)Shy!Emily, it has been done (and much better), nothing really new under the sun.**_

 _ **But, well, this one was lingering in my mind, and I really had some fun writing it. I hope you had some fun reading it.**_

 _ **Oh, and Keith Urban's song 'Cop Car' had a lot to do with it, too. ;)**_

 _ **Edit: this story was meant to be a one-shot, but well, it seems I'm not done with this fic. Sooo, a sequel is on the way, if you guys don't mind... ;) Let me know what you think!**_


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: So, guys... this story was meant to be a one-shot, but I guess badass Paige really inspired me, so... this fic is not over (I hope you don't mind!).** **Here is chapter two.**

 **Thank you so much to** _ **siophiefandom**_ **, the best betareader ever (and an awesome writer too, but you already know that).**

* * *

"I can't believe you're gonna bail on us again," Hanna whined. "Emily!"

"I already told you, Hanna," Emily answered. "I have something..."

"Something else to do, yes, we know," Spencer cut her off. "You're so busy lately, Em, really. We hardly see you."

Emily rolled her eyes. "You see me everyday, at school."

"Yes, but what about _after_ school, and on weekends?" Hanna challenged.

Emily just shrugged, and tried her best to ignore Hanna's adorable pout and Spencer's suspicious glare.

"I'm sorry about tomorrow night, guys. But I really can't go to the concert with you," Emily said firmly.

Hanna sighed theatrically. "Okay, Em. But you know, I'm really starting to wonder..." she started, a mischevious grin on her pretty face.

"What?" Emily asked, frowning.

"I'm really wondering if you've been seeing someone in secret."

"What?" Emily squealed. "Hanna! You're wrong! What would I do that?"

"Uh-uh," Hanna said, not looking convinced at all. "If you say so, Fields."

Emily didn't miss the knowing look her blonde friend shared with Spencer.

"You know, I hate to admit it, but I think Hanna's right, for once," the tall slender brunette pointed out, earning an eye roll from the blonde.

"Spencer..." Emily said in a warning tone.

"No, really, Em. Come on, tell us. Who is the mystery girl?"

"No one," Emily blurted out. "There's no mystery girl. No girl at all. End of discussion."

The truth was, she _was_ seeing someone. Since their unexpected meeting in a cop car, a few weeks earlier, her and Paige McCullers were... what was the right term? Hooking up? Seriously making out with each other?...

Whatever it was, she had spent a _lot_ ot time with the auburn girl. In fact, all her free time, by the way. Which wasn't that much, if you really thought about it. Between high school, swim practice, and community service, Emily Fields was a very busy eighteen-year-old girl. But somehow, she and Paige had managed to spend some serious 'quality time' together. In private.

* * *

"Don't you think, Paige," Emily ventured, in the middle of one of their make-out sessions in Paige's old car, "That we should... do something?"

"We're doing things," Paige answered with a smirk.

"No, I mean..." a frustrated Emily said, before letting out a deep sigh.

"Forget it, McCullers. Never mind."

Paige propped herself up on her elbow and looked closely at the raven-haired girl. "I think I know what you mean, Emily, " she admitted. "We should probably... go out somewhere, or... but, the thing is..." she dipped her head.

"What?" Emily asked. "It's okay, you can say it, Paige." She was beginning to get used to seeing the usually cocky girl becoming shy all of a sudden.

"You know, Emily," Paige said in her low, husky voice. "I don't really... I mean, I don't..."

"You don't what?" Emily asked, puzzled.

"I don't do... dates," Paige mumbled, biting her lower lip.

"What do you mean you..." Emily started, before realisation dawned on her.

"Oh, you... you mean you've never been on a real date?"

Paige shrugged. "Well, not really. I mean, no."

"But it's obvious you've got some... experience," Emily said cautiously, and Paige glared at her.

"Not that I'm complaining," Emily added quickly. "But..."

"Well, Emily," Paige said. "As you have guessed yourself, I've... been with some girls ...Many girls, to be honest. But it was just, you know..."

"One night stands?"

"If you want to call it that. Although technically, it didn't always last _that_ long," Paige said, grinning.

"Oh," Emily said, not knowing what to add. "I see."

She stiffened in her seat. _What was I expecting?_

"...Come on, Emily," Paige said after a while. "You know it's different between us."

Emily glared at her with a suspicious look, and Paige added: "Don't tell me you don't know. We have this... whatever it is... this... connection," she said, dipping her head again, a small smile on her blushing face.

"You really think that?" Emily said, not wanting to get her hopes up. _I feel it, too._

"Well, yes," Paige admitted. "Of course I do. Come on, you know that, Emily. It's just, I don't know..."

"You don't know what?" Emily asked in a softer tone.

"I don't know what to do, I'm not used to... you know, liking people. _Really_ liking them, I mean."

Emily studied the other girl's face. Paige looked really uncomfortable now.

"Can't we just... get back at it now?" the auburn girl muttered. "Talking is overrated anyway."

"You know what," Emily cut her off. "Forget it."

"What? But, Emily..."

"It's okay. I don't need you to pretend to... whatever. I'm really tired, can you drive me home?" Emily said in a sharp tone.

Paige looked at the other girl and sighed. _Way to kill the mood, McCullers._

The following morning, Emily found a bouquet of wild flowers and a small note hanging by her bedroom window.

" _Emily Fields_ ," the note said, _"Would you like to go out on a real date with me? P."_

* * *

They agreed on a movie date. It was less formal than a dinner at a restaurant, and less public, too.

Emily had picked out the movie - an horror film, of course. A weird choice for a first date, maybe, but she had something in mind. She could easily pretend to be scared and then hide in Paige's arms, which of course would only be the excuse for some cuddles and kisses.

Paige bought the movie tickets, and the treats (pop-corn and soda). She insisted on that, saying that she wanted 'to do things right'. Emily had let her do so - she could tell it was really important for the other girl.

Another indication, if Emily needed one, was the fact that Paige wasn't wearing her usual worn-out blue jeans and beat-up jacket, but had put some black slim jeans on, with a white shirt and a black t-shirt. Emily had to admit she looked really elegant. And she couldn't really tell Paige that she preferred her in her old leather jacket that she looked so badass and sexy in it. Not now.

"Back row," Emily whispered to Paige when they entered the movie theatre.

"You're sure?" Paige asked. "There's still some seats right in the middle, just in front of the screen."

"Trust me," Emily smiled, and Paige nodded and obliged, leading them to the left side of the back row, which was empty.

Of course, Emily knew perfectly well what she was doing. The back row was the perfect place for making out during the movie, without the others moviegoers looking at them or shushing them.

What she hadn't expected was for Paige to be so... still. At first Emily thought it was because Paige was nervous - after all, it was her first _real_ date. But she quickly figured out that the auburn girl was, in fact, terrified by what was happening on the screen. Even in the dim light of the theatre, she could tell that the other girl was paler than ever, and then she realized Paige had her left hand clenched tight to the armrest between them.

"Paige, are you okay?" Emily whispered, and Paige gulped. "Yeah," she said in a weak voice.

"Are... are you afraid?" Emily asked, biting a smile.

Paige shook her head and stiffened in her seat. "No," she huffed. "Of course no."

"Paige, look at me," Emily asked, and the auburn girl turned her head, reluctantly. Emily leaned forward and kissed Paige softly on the cheek.

"Do you feel better?" she whispered in the other girl's ear.

"A little," Paige admitted.

Emily gave her another kiss, on the lips this time.

"...And now?"

"Much better," Paige smiled.

"So, forget the movie," Emily muttered, before leaning forward and taking Paige's lips between hers.

* * *

Paige was in the theatre lobby, waiting for Emily, who was in the restroom. The auburn girl was humming softly. Her heart was swelling with joy. She had dreaded and longed for this date, but everything had been fine so far. More than fine, actually. Who would have guessed horror movies could be such a turn-on?

Suddenly, she felt a firm arm grasping her shoulder, and turned around to face a very pissed off Spencer Hastings.

"What are you doing around Emily?" the slim brunette barked.

"What?" a very confused Paige asked. "Who are you?"

"Don't pretend you don't recognize me, McCullers," Spencer said in a warning tone. "I know who you are. I know everything about you, actually."

Paige was starting to feel anger boiling inside her.

"I don't know what your problem is, but I'm sure we never met, so back off," she warned.

"Oh really? Does field hockey, eighth grade, rings a bell?" Spencer hissed. "I was going to score, and you hit me so hard, I almost passed out on the field. We even named a penalty after you that day!"

Paige stared at the other girl, dumbfounded. _A penalty?! Wow, I didn't know that. Is she kidding, or...?_

"Remember?" Spencer groaned.

Paige dipped her head.

"I do remember now," she said in a low voice. "And I'm sorry. But that was a long time ago."

"I never forgot."

"I see that."

The two girls glared at each other, neither one wanting to lower her eyes first. Paige had her jaw clenched tight, and Spencer's eyes were shooting daggers.

"And so you know," Spencer continued, "I'm very aware of what you became after that. Of what you did. My mother is a lawyer, you know. Not that she defends losers like you, of course. She has better things to do."

"Of course," Paige scoffed. She took a quick look around her. She really wanted to teach this smug girl a good lesson, but they were in a public place, and she was on a date, right?

So she just groaned and said lamely: "Fuck off, Hastings."

"Oh, so now you remember my name," Spencer said wryly. "And what a line, really. That's all you got?"

The auburn girl shrugged. _Just wait, and you'll see._

"Whatever," Spencer snapped. "The thing is, McCullers, I don't know what you're doing near my friend Emily, but I don't want you..."

"We're dating!" Paige snapped back, before biting her lips. _Shit._

The look on Spencer's face was priceless.

"You... what?" she asked in a low voice.

"We're dating. We're on a date, right now," Paige almost yelled, and just then, an alarmed Emily appeared behind them.

"Paige? Spencer?!" the raven-haired girl asked. "What's going on?"

Spencer glared at her. "Oh, _you_ tell me, Emily," she said, grinding her teeth. "That... that girl, she just said that you're on a date. Together."

"Well..." Emily said, feeling uneasy. She glanced towards Paige, who was staring intently at her.

"She's telling the truth," Emily admitted.

Spencer shook her head in disbelief. "Are you _nuts_ , Emily?"

"Hey!" Paige said in a warning tone.

"I'm not talking to you, McCullers," Spencer snapped back.

"Wait, you two know each other?" Emily asked.

"Unfortunately," Spencer groaned. "And I can't believe she's your mystery girl."

"What mystery girl?" Paige asked, frowning.

"No, it's... it's nothing," Emily stammered, her face beet red. "Let's go, okay? Bye, Spencer."

She grabbed Paige by the arm, and dragged her outside the theatre as fast as she could.

A stunned Spencer stayed there, her mouth half open.

* * *

The two girls walked towards Emily's street in an uneasy silence.

Then Paige sighed and said softly,"You know, Emily, it's okay if you're ashamed of me."

"Wh.. what?" Emily stammered. "Paige, how can you think that?"

Paige shrugged. "I mean, it's understandable. Look at you, and..." she motioned to herself.

"How can you think so little of yourself?" Emily asked, dumfounded.

"I guess I'm used to it," Paige said with another shrug.

"Well," Emily retorted, "That's not fair. To you, and even to me."

Paige looked at her, puzzled. "What do you mean?"

"Do you really think I would spend so much time with you if you weren't worth it?" Emily asked.

"I don't know," Paige said with a disarming honesty. "Would you?"

"Paige..."

"Sorry, Emily. It's just, I don't know... I don't know how to do that," a frustrated Paige explained. "I can't help asking myself... what you're doing with me," she confessed in a low voice. "I mean, I'm not exactly the kind of girl you bring home, right?"

When Emily didn't answer, Paige added: "I get it. After all, I've only been inside your house once." _That amazing, unforgettable Sunday morning_. "We always meet... elsewhere. And I understand. It's okay, Emily, really."

Emily stopped walking and took the other girl's hand in hers. "Paige, look at me," she said firmly.

The auburn girl sighed and reluctantly met Emily's eyes.

"I'd _love_ to have you in my home," Emily said. _And in my room. And in my bed, too, by the way._

Paige frowned. "Really?"

"Yes, dummy."

Paige gave her a crooked grin. "You know, I miss that window seat," she confessed.  
Emily squezzed her hand, smiling, and the two girls resumed walking.

"Are you free tomorrow night?" Emily asked once they'd reached her street.

"Of course I am," Paige said. "My schedule is as flexible as my back, you know that," she said, winking, and Emily rolled her eyes at her.

"...The thing is," Emily continued after a while, "My mom will be out of town. She's visiting my aunt in Philly. So, if you would like to come over... you could even spend the night," she ventured.

"Emily Fields, are you suggesting what I think you're suggesting?" Paige asked in a teasing tone.

"Only if you want to," Emily answered, blushing.

Their previous make-out sessions in Paige's car (or anyplace else where they could have a little privacy) had been pretty intense, but they had never gone all the way, and Emily was really beginning to feel frustrated.

Paige was like a drug to her - she couldn't have enough of her. She loved her smell, the taste of her skin, the softness of her hair, everything. She had never felt so attracted to someone, in her all life. And it wasn't only the physical side of it - she really wanted to be close to Paige. In every sense of the word. And she could tell that Paige felt the same, even if the auburn girl hadn't voiced it.

Emily was very well conscious that they had only met a few weeks before, but their relationship wasn't ordinary. And she liked that.

* * *

Later that evening, when Emily checked her cellphone (she had turned it off during the movie), she saw that she had three missed calls and several texts, all from Spencer. Her first thought was to erase them all without reading them, but curiosity got the better of her and she scrolled down her friends' messages.

Spencer's first text was short and dry:

 _'Emily, call me. NOW.'_

The second one was just a bit longer:

 _'Emily, we have to talk. Call me.'_

The third one was more demanding:

 _'Emily Catherine Fields, answer your damn phone!"_

The fourth one was softer:

 _'Emily, please call me. I know that you're mad, but call me.'_

The next one was more like a plea:

 _'Em, I'm sorry. Can you just call me back? Please.'_

The following one just said:

 _'Em? Please just tell me you're okay?'_

The last text, sent much later, sounded like a warning:

 _'Emily, I'm REALLY worried about you. You'd better be careful. This girl is trouble.'_

Emily's answer to that was quite short, but accurate: _'Spencer Jillian Hastings, guess what? You sound just like my mother.'_

* * *

The following evening, just after Emily's mother left for Philly, a rather nervous Paige McCullers rang the bell at the Fields' front door. Emily opened the door immediately, a big smile on her face.

"Hi!" she said. "Come on in!"

"Thanks," Paige said, looking nervously around her. "Is your mom gone?"

"No, she's in the living room, waiting for you. She wants to talk to you," Emily deadpanned.

"What?" Paige blurted out, panic written all over her face.

"Relax, Paige! I'm kidding," Emily laughed. "Of course she's gone."

"You're so mean, Fields. You're gonna pay for this, you know."

"I really hope so," Emily answered with a mischevious grin.

Emily insisted on giving Paige a tour, and the auburn girl couldn't help but smile fondly at the sight of Emily's childhood photos scattered all around the place.

 _She was so beautiful. She still is. Okay McCullers, you've got it bad._

Emily offered Paige a drink and some snacks, but the auburn girl politely declined the offer. She was trying to act cool, but Emily could tell she was nervous. Emily knew that she would have to take the lead, for once.

So Emily took Paige by the hand, with a knowing look, and the two girls slowly made their way upstairs, to Emily's room.

They started on the window seat, of course, and they were already shirtless when Emily suggested that they move things to her bed. Paige nodded eagerly, and tried to lift the other girl up in an attempt to carry her, which earned her some giggles from Emily.

"Paige! Put me down!" the raven-haired girl protested. "I'm stronger than you anyway!"

"Certainly not," Paige huffed, and she secured her grip on the raven-haired girl. They literally fell onto Emily's bed, giggling.

They resumed kissing, and soon removed their remaining clothes, including their bras and panties.

And then, Paige McCullers, who was so bold and confident with girls in the backseat of cars, suddenly became shy.

At the sight of a gorgeous, breathtaking, totally naked Emily before her, she stalled, her mouth agape.

"See something you like, McCullers?" Emily teased.

"Wow," Paige said, "You... you're so... so..."

"Not a very eloquent answer, but I get your point," Emily retorted, her eyes sparkling with mischief and, yes, desire.

"You're not so bad yourself," she added in an appreciative tone, her eyes lingering on Paige's perfect mouth, pale skin, and toned body. _And god, those abs. I wonder how she got them? From running from the cops, maybe?..._

They had done "things", for sure, in Paige's car, and even on Emily's window seat that famous Sunday. But they had never reached this level of intimacy, and what they had experienced before was nothing compared to the sensations they both felt that night in Emily's bed. Bare skin against bare skin, eyes locked, faces so close they could feel each other's breaths.

Paige's hand was trembling when she entered Emily, and soon she was watching, mesmerized, as Emily came undone beneath her. _So, that's it_ , Paige thought. _That's it, I see it now. And, wow._

When Emily came down from her orgasm, breathing loudly, she opened her eyes to see Paige's beaming face looking down at her with adoration.

 _"_ Thanks," Paige whispered, and Emily looked at her in astonishment. "I should be the one who..." she started, before realizing what the other girl meant. "Oh," she said, her heart melting. "Oh. You're _so_ welcome, McCullers. And now, let me return the favor," she said teasingly, before flipping Paige over. "You know, I've got some moves, too."

And she had.

* * *

"This is so nice," Paige said later in a dreamy voice, her right hand softly stroking Emily's upper arm.

"What?" Emily asked, smiling. "The cuddling, the holding? Or the... lovemaking?"

"Yes," Paige whispered, her face blushing. "All of it."

Emily smiled and kissed the auburn girl's neck.

"I really like it, too," she said.

"...You know," Paige went on after a while, "I'm not used to... this. I usually leave just after... you know," she said.

"I know, Paige."

"It's different, with you," Paige continued, and Emily's heart swelled with joy and pride.

"I just... I just don't want to leave," the auburn girl confessed.

"So stay," Emily said simply.

"O-kay," Paige beamed. "So, I'll stay. I'll just have to go before six thirty, because my old man usually likes to check on me before leaving for work. I don't want to be grounded," she teased.

"As if it would prevent you from sneaking out, McCullers," Emily retorted.

"I guess you're right, Emily," Paige smiled.

They stayed in each other's arms for a while, just savoring the moment.

Then Paige slid a tentative hand under the sheets, very near Emily's center, and the raven-haired girl shivered with pleasure and anticipation.

"So, Dream Girl, "Paige said in her husky, sexy voice, "As much as I love the cuddling part... I wouldn't say no to another round. What about you?..."

* * *

Emily woke up the following morning with a big grin on her face. The memories of the night came flooding back to her instantly, and she grazed her lips, which were still swollen from Paige's fiery kisses.

She leaned forward, grabbed her phone from the nightstand and frowned when she saw that she had no messages or calls from the auburn girl.

Paige had left just before dawn, not without kissing Emily one last time, and promising to text her when she got home.

 _I guess she was really worn out. She probably fell asleep as soon as she reached her bed,_ Emily reasoned.

By lunchtime, Paige still hadn't called or texted, and Emily was getting more and more anxious. The afternoon went by slowly, and Emily, who couldn't help but check her phone every five minutes or so, was now feeling rather mad.

 _Maybe she just wanted that? To get me in her bed - well, technically, in mine - and dump me right afterwards? Maybe that was her plan all along._

She had tried to reach Paige, of course, but only once, just to tell her to call her back or even just text. She didn't want to appear clingy.

And now, a few hours later, she coudn't help but feel very disappointed. Betrayed, even. What Paige had whispered to her, when they were in each other's arms... it had sounded so sincere, so true. Was it all a lie?...

 _Am I so stupid? ...Maybe Spencer was right after all_.

* * *

Pam Fields came back from her sister's in the early evening, to find an upset and very grumpy Emily. The raven-haired girl was downstairs, in front of the TV, a half empty pizza box and several soda cans spread on the coffee table. The living room was messy, to say the least.  
Emily's mother frowned. "Emily, didn't I ask you to clean up the house a little? You had the whole day to do so."

"Whatever. I had other things to do," Emily mumbled.

"Emily! Don't talk to me like that," Pam Fields warned. "What's going on with you lately?"

Emily didn't answer, but just shrugged.

"Did you, at least, finish all your homework?" Pam asked, sighing.

"Yeah, mom, I did," Emily muttered, even if it was a lie. She had been so nervous the whole day, she hadn't opened a single textbook. "You know, I'm eighteen now."

"Well, so why don't you act like a grown-up then?" her mother retorted.

* * *

On Monday morning, there was still no word from Paige.

Emily decided to go for a run before school, despite the lack of sleep (she hadn't gotten much rest the two previous nights, for different reasons).

Physical activity always calmed her when she was upset, or at least it used to. She put on her earphones, selected her best jogging playlist on her iPhone, and started her run.  
She was approaching Rosewood's main street, where most of the shops and cafes were located, when she spotted a familiar car. She knew that police car all too well - she had been inside it, a few weeks ago, on that fateful night.

She sighed, slowed down her pace, and considered turning away, but she was startled by a man's strong voice calling her.

"Miss Fields! Emily!"

Mike McCullers, the older (and nicer) of the two police officers who had arrested her that night, was waving at her from the car. She took off her headphones and approached the vehicle reluctantly. The last thing she needed now was to have a talk with Paige's uncle.

"Hello, officer," Emily mumbled, keeping her eyes down. She didn't feel at ease near the man, even though the cop had been nothing but correct with her. Her arrest hadn't been her proudest moment. At least, Wilden didn't seem to be around this time.

The older man cleared his throat, and Emily looked up at him. The officer looked exhausted. He had dark circles under his eyes, and it seemed he hadn't shaved for days.

"I think you should know," the man said in a low voice.

"Know what?" Emily asked, alarmed.

"It's about Paige," the officer said, and Emily felt her heart racing instantly.

"What... what happened?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady, but failing miserably. "Was she arrested again? Is she... is she in prison?" Emily stammered. _That's why she hadn't called._

"What? No," the older man said, frowning. "Paige is... she's in the hospital, Miss Fields."

* * *

 ** _A/N:I know, I know! Don't hate me for the cliffhanger. And please review! ;)_**


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: A big thank you to the best betareader in the universe (you know who you are ;) )**_

* * *

 _"Paige is... she's in the hospital, Miss Fields."_

Emily felt her legs go weak, and had to steady herself with a hand on the car.

"Miss Fields?" the police officer asked, alarmed. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Can... can you tell me what happened exactly?" the raven-haired girl stammered. "And please, call me Emily?" she begged without really knowing why she was asking him that, now.

Mike McCullers sighed deeply. "I can't tell you much, Emily, but... I know you and Paige are close. So I'm just gonna tell you this: domestic violence."

"Her... her father?" Emily asked, horrified.

The older man didn't answer, but just nodded sadly.

"How... how is she?" Emily begged.

"She was pretty beaten up, but she's gonna make it, Miss Fields. Emily. She was unconscious when she was brought into the hospital on Sunday morning, but I've heard she's awake now. She's got a broken wrist, a few cracked ribs, and a lot of bad bruises."

"Oh god..." Emily said, devastated.

Mike McCullers was studying the teenager's face. "You know," he said cautiously. "Paige... she's not the type to confide in others, especially in her own family. But she didn't have to say much for me to understand you're important to her. Just by the way she says your name... I could tell. That's why I thought you should know."

Emily nodded, her throat tight. _She told him, about me._

"It happened before," the officer revealed, "but never that bad. This time, he really lashed out on her. That's why the neighbors called the police, for once, I guess."

Her voice was full with guilt and shame, and Emily looked at him, realization dawning on her.

"You were the one who..."

"Got the call, yeah," the man replied in a somber voice. "I was on patrol. I'm the one who found my niece, unconscious and bleeding on the floor. I'm the one who called the ambulance to take her to the hospital. And then, I had to arrest my own brother."

"I'm... I'm sorry," Emily whispered.

"Don't be. I'm the one who should be ashamed. I wasn't able to protect her," the middle-aged man said sadly.

* * *

Aria Montgomery was stepping out from the Brew, coffee cup in hand, when she saw her friend Emily Fields sobbing on a bench, on the other side of the street. Alarmed, she crossed the road as quickly as she could.

"Emily?" she called out. "Em? What's going on?"

Emily looked up at her friend. Her face was stained with tears.

"Oh my god, Em," Aria said in a panicked voice. "Is it your dad?"

Emily shook her head. "No," she croaked, "No, Aria. It's... it's Paige."

"Paige?" Aria asked, frowning. "But who exactly is Paige?"

"My... my mystery girl," Emily confessed in a broken voice.

"Oh," Aria said, at a loss for words. "Oh, okay." She took Emily's hand in hers and sat next to her on the bench.

"What... what happened, Emily? Tell me," she asked in her soft voice.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Emily was at the back of Spencer's car, Hanna by her side. The blonde girl had a protective arm around her friend's shoulders. Spencer was driving, of course, a determined look on her face.

A very worried Aria was in the passenger's seat. She had called her mother, who was a teacher at Rosewood High, and had somehow persuaded her that they HAD to skip first period - the four of them, and she couldn't really give details right now. Ella Montgomery was a pretty cool mother, but it had been rather difficult to convince her this time.

"We're here to see Paige McCullers," Spencer said in her best Hastings tone. The woman at the hospital reception desk raised suspicious eyebrows at the four girls in front of her.

"Yes, and you are...?"

"Her... _friends_ , I guess?" Spencer cringed.

"Well, you'll have to wait. It's not visiting hours yet," the middle-aged woman said in a sharp tone.

"Listen, you don't understand," Hanna protested, but Spencer stopped her. She has just spotted a familiar figure passing by.

"It's okay, Hanna," she smiled. "Wren!" she called. "Um, I mean, Doctor Kingston!"

A young, handsome doctor in blue scrubs approached and smiled brightly at the younger girl. "Spencer Hastings! Long time no see. How are you? And what are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm fine, and... I _really_ need your help," Spencer said in the most flirtatious tone she could muster.

Five minutes later, and mostly because Wren couldn't say no to Spencer Hastings, Emily was allowed to enter Paige's room. The raven-haired girl was trying to smile, but her eyes were full of worry, and she gasped when she saw the other girl's face. Paige looked so pale and weak in her hospital bed.

Her bottom lip was blue and swollen, and she had bruises all over her face. She also had a cast on her left wrist.

"Emily," Paige croaked. "You came. I can't believe you came."

"Don't speak, Paige, don't speak too much," Emily begged her. "Oh, my god." She sat at the foot of the bed, reached for Paige's right hand and squezzed it.

"Oh my god, Paige. I'm so sorry," she said in a teary voice.

"Don't cry, Dream Girl," Paige said in a hoarse voice. "Don't cry, because if you do I'm gonna cry too, and it won't be pretty, trust me."

Emily nodded, her throat tight.

"Your uncle..." she said. "He told me what happened. Paige, why did your father hit you so hard? Is it because you spent the night at my place?" she asked, the anxiety obvious in her voice.

"No, Emily, no. It isn't your fault," Paige reassured her. "You know, my father doesn't really need a reason to..." she started, before closing her eyes. _Believe me, it's better to avoid the subject._

"Is it... is it very painful?" Emily asked in a worried voice.

"It's okay now," Paige said. "They gave me these wicked painkillers," she tried to joke.

"Can I... can I hug you?" Emily asked.

Paige smiled, and winced. Even smiling was painful.

"Yes, of course, Dream Girl," she said. "Just... just not too tight, because I have some cracked ribs. Left side," she specified.

With the greatest care, Emily took the auburn girl in her arms, gave her a soft hug, and then gently kissed her forehead.

"I was so afraid," she said. "When I heard what happened, I was so afraid."

"I was, too," Paige said. "I thought... I thought I'd never see you again," she confessed in a hoarse voice.

"Paige..."

"I know, it's just... after what happened between us the other night.. I just wanted to make sure that you know that I... that I care, about you."

"I know, Paige. I care about you, too. And I'm here, now. Everything's gonna be allright," Emily whispered.

Really, it was more a wish than anything else, and both girls knew that.

* * *

In the hospital lobby, just outside Paige's room, Spencer was pacing back and forth. Hanna glared at her from her seat.

"Can't you just sit down, Spence?" the blonde girl whined. "You're making dizzy, just looking at you."

"Don't look at me then," Spencer muttered.

"What's going on, Spence?" Aria asked in her soft, calming tone.

"I knew it was gonna happen," Spencer said in a tense voice. "I knew she was going to get hurt."

"Who? Paige?" Hanna asked, perplexed.

"No, I mean Emily!" Spencer snapped.

Her two friends looked at her, puzzled. Spencer ran her hand through her hair, looking distressed.

"I told her McCullers was trouble. And look where we are now."

"Wait," Hanna protested. "You can't blame Paige for having an abusive father!"

"I'm not..." Spencer began, her voice a little to loud.

"Lower your voice, Spencer," Aria said. "We're in a hospital, and remember we're not even supposed to be here."

"Sorry," Spencer said. She sat down next to the two other girls. "It's just... I don't want Emily to be hurt. Or any of you guys. That's all."

"We don't want that either," Aria said. "It's just... you can't protect everyone from everything, Spence. Not even the ones you love. Things like that... awful things like that... happen."

"That's not fair," Spencer muttered, her eyes glued to the floor.

"No, it's not," Aria admitted, patting her friend's shoulder.

The three girls remained silent for a minute, and then Hanna said out of the blue:

"The thing is, true love hurts no matter what."

The two brunettes stared at her, dumbfounded.

"What do you mean, Marin?" Spencer asked, frowning.

"Come on, Spence. Did you see that look on Emily's face when she told us the whole story? Did you _really_ listen to her when she was talking about Paige? She's not just into this girl. She's in love with her."

Spencer opened and closed her mouth without making a sound, realization dawning on her. It was almost comical, and Aria stifled a laugh.

"...I think she's right, Spencer," the petite brunette said softly.

Spencer's mind was racing.

"O-kay," the slim girl said after a while. "Then, we have to help her. To help _them_ ," she corrected.

"What are you thinking, Spence?" Hanna said in a hopeful voice. She knew that Spencer had a plan. Spencer always had a plan.

The taller girl grabbed her cell phone from her purse.

"First, I have to call my mother," she said in a determined tone.

* * *

 _*** two weeks later ***_

Paige and Emily were sitting on the front porch of Paige's uncle's house. The auburn girl was sporting a cast on one of her wrists, but her face had healed well and she looked much better than she did in the hospital. She felt much better, too. Especially with Emily's protective arm around her shoulders.

She had asked Emily to come over after class because she had something important to tell her. For the past days, the two girls had spent every minute they could together, but Paige, as brave and bold as she usually was, hadn't found the courage to open up to Emily.

So there she was, dreading the other girl's reaction to what she was going to tell her. But feeling elated, at the same time, just to be like that, so close to Emily, in the fading light of the sun and with a soft breeze around them.

 _I wish we could stay like this forever. Except we can't._

"We can't what?" Emily asked, and Paige, startled, realized that she had spoken out lout.

"Emily..." she began in her husky voice, "I have something to tell you..."

"I figured," the raven-haired girl smiled. "What is it, Paige? You know you can tell me anything."

"Yes, but..."

"Come on, McCullers. You know I love ballsy women."

The auburn girl smiled fondly. "Yeah, I remember. Trust me, it's not something I could forget." _Like everything about you, by the way._

She took a deep breath. "Emily, you... you know I can't stay, right?"

"What do you mean?" Emily asked, frowning. "I just got there!"

"No, I mean... I can't stay _here_ , in Rosewood. I have to leave."

Emily's heart began to beat faster.

"What do you mean?" she said again, her voice trembling.

"You know that my aunt doesn't want me in her house anymore. My uncle Mike convinced her to let me stay here for a few days, but she doesn't want me near my cousins," Paige said. "She's afraid I'd be a bad influence on them."

"Yes, I know she is," Emily said angrily.

"And obviously, I can't be around my father anymore. Or, to be more specific, he can't be around me."

Emily nodded. Veronica Hastings had managed to get Paige a restraining order against Nick McCullers, who had been released on bail. Any contact with his daughter was forbidden.

"Well," Paige continued, "Long story short, Mrs. Hastings talked to him, and then she called my mother, and... it wasn't easy, but they settled on an agreement."

Emily nodded, her throat tight. She already knew where this was going.

"Your... your mother lives far away, right?" she asked, dreading the answer.

"Arizona," Paige confirmed sadly.

Emily closed her eyes. "When... when are you leaving?" she asked in a weak voice.

"In two days," Paige answered, dipping her head.

"And... do you want to go?" Emily asked. She didn't want Paige to leave, of course, but she couldn't be selfish. She knew that Paige's life in Rosewood was far from perfect.

Paige looked closely at the other girl. "Emily," she said in a soft voice. "You know that I don't want to leave you. But I think I..." she stopped, fighting tears. "Shit. I didn't want to cry," she muttered.

"It's okay," Emily assured her. "You're with me. You don't have to be brave all the time."

Paige let out a small laugh, which sounded more like a sob. "I will remember that, too."

The two girls remained silent for a minute, and then Paige said:

"You know, maybe this is how it's supposed to be. Things do happen for a reason, right?"

"I guess so," Emily answered. _That's what they say, but I'm not so sure right now._

"So, I think I should go. To Arizona. This could be the opportunity for... a fresh start, you see?" Paige said cautiously, glancing at the other girl.

Emily nodded sadly. "Yeah. I understand."

"You know, I haven't seen my mom for years," Paige revealed. "My parents... well, they had an ugly divorce. My mother wanted to take me with her, but my father didn't let her. And he threatened her. So, she ran away. Far away."

"I'm so sorry, Paige."

"Don't be. It's not your fault. And it was years ago. What I'm trying to say is, well, my mother and I, we haven't even talked to each other for a very long time. So, I don't know what's going to happen. Maybe we won't get along."

"And maybe you will," Emily said. "You deserve to be happy, Paige."

"I was... I am. When I'm with you, I am," Paige whispered. "You're the best thing that ever happened to me, Dream Girl."

"I feel the same. About you," Emily confessed. _But I have to let you go._

"We'll meet again," Paige said in a confident tone. "I don't know when, or where, yet. But we're not done."

"No, we're not," Emily confirmed, tightening her grip around the auburn girl. Paige buried her head in Emily's shoulder.

They didn't know what the future had in store for them, but they were meant to be. Of that they were sure.

* * *

 _ **A/N: I know, this is sad. And we don't need sadness, especially now.**_

 _ **BUT I promise it will get better soon. Remember this is a Paily story... and trust me on this one.**_

 _ **I love you all, dear readers, and don't forget to review, please, it means a lot.**_


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N : Hi guys. I hope you're still reading. I realize some of you might have been disappointed by last chapter's sadness, and by the fact that Paige left Rosewood for Arizona. I understand that. It was a turning point in the story (and a strong contrast to the first chapter, which was lighter and funnier).**

 **Don't worry too much though. Things are going to get better, much better for Paige, at first, and then for our girls. Read this new chapter, and you'll see ;)**

 **And have faith in me – Paily is endgame. In my little author's universe, Paily is always endgame (though McHastings might be, too, why not).**

 **Once again, this update was posted thanks to the amazing betareading job done by siophiefandom. Thank you so much! :)**

* * *

 _*** Two years later ***_

 _University of Pennsylvania (UPenn)_

Although she was technically only a sophomore, Spencer Hastings was well known on the UPenn campus. Being an overachiever, she was involved in multiple activities and groups, such as Penn Women's Center, Civic Group, and Active Minds.

So it wasn't surprising that she was asked by the office of Students Affairs to be a tour guide, to show off the campus to potential freshmen. Spencer had a very busy schedule, but she knew UPenn and its facilities like the back of her hand, so she readily accepted the offer.

She was supposed to mentor a group of six potential students, coming from all accross the country (one of them was even from a foreign country).  
Heather, the senior who was in charge of the program, gave each student a list with the names and states of "their" potentials.

Spencer's eyes scrolled down the list. One girl was from Minnesota, one from Maine, a boy was from Virginia, another one was from far away, Taiwan. And two girls were, apparently, from Arizona.

The slim brunette did a double-take at the last name.

"No way," she mouthed. "This can't be..."

"What is it, Spencer?" Heather asked. "Anything wrong?"

"No, not at all," Spencer reassured her, before checking the list one more time. _This should be interesting.  
_

* * *

The first activity was flag football.

"It's the perfect way to get to know each other, and to build a team spirit," Heather explained. "So each team will mix current UPenn students and aspiring freshmen. Remember this is a game, and have fun!"

Spencer slowly walked toward the small group she was supposed to mentor.

Her eyes were fixed on an tall auburn girl who was also staring at her intently. Spencer stopped right in front of the girl.

"Hi, Spencer," the other girl said in her unmistakable husky voice.

"McCullers," Spencer said sharply, earning a frown from a petite blonde next to the taller girl.

"Who's this, Paige?" the blonde whispered to the auburn girl, who didn't answer.

Spencer glared at the two girls, turned around and yelled, her voice loud and clear: "Okay guys! You know the rules. Don't forget, It's a non-contact game, so blocking is not allowed." _Unfortunately_.

"Play fair, and stay focused," she added.

The aspiring students, Paige and the blonde girl excepted, nodded with enthusiasm.

"And for those who are on my team, be aware: I don't like to lose. Even at flag football," Spencer concluded in a stern tone. Some girls and the Asian guy shared scared glances, but Paige didn't wince.

Paige and Spencer were on opposing teams. Paige's teammates wore red flags, and Spencer's, blue ones. Paige had never played flag football before, but she was pretty athletic, and she was a fast runner. So once she mastered the basic rules of the game, she impressed everybody on the field.

Spencer was doing very well, too. But, much to Paige's surprise, she seemed to avoid the auburn girl's path. She was always either at the other side of the field, or at a safe distance from Paige.

Until the very end of the game. Just before the referee blew the final whistle, Spencer surged from out of nowhere, right in front of Paige, and tackled her, more roughly than she had intended (and she had intended to tackle her roughly).

The loud sound they made when they hit the ground made the students around them freeze and gasp. The blonde girl who had seemed to follow Paige like her shadow, before and during the game, looked especially horrified.

Spencer quickly grabbed Paige's flag, and jumped on her feet, a victory smile on her lips. Paige was still on the ground, wincing in pain and trying to catch her breath. Spencer stared at her with a smug grin, and then extended her arm to help the other girl up.

Paige looked at her in disbelief, but accepted the hand. Spencer helped her to get up, and then leaned forward and whispered in the auburn girl's ear: "Now we're even, McCullers."

Then, she turned away and left the field, without a glance behind her.

The other team captain, who was a junior at UPenn, raced to join her. He had a concerned look on his face.

"Wow, easy there, Hastings," he said. "We're supposed to welcome potential students, not to knock them down!"

"Sorry," Spencer smirked. "Too enthusiastic, I guess."

* * *

"Wait, you did what?" Hanna exclaimed on the other end of the phone line. "Spencer!"

"What?" Spencer asked in a defensive tone. "I just did what she did to me, once."

"Wait, that time in middle school, on the hockey field? You were what, thirteen then!"

"Maybe," Spencer groaned. She was beginning to feel a little guilty.

"The thing is, Spencer," Hanna continued. "You just hit a girl who suffered from an abusive childhood. That's why she left Rosewood, right? Her father used to beat her up. She even ended up in the hospital. And you... you knocked her down at flag football. Not to mention, in front of everybody. She must feel like shit."

"Oh god, Hanna," Spencer stammered. "You're right. I didn't realize..."

"Well, I guess you just have to make it up to her now," Hanna concluded.

"I will find a way, Hanna," Spencer reassured her.

"Fine. And by the way, when you're at it, don't forget to ask Paige about that blonde girl who clings to her. I want to know who she is."

"Hanna!"

* * *

A couple of hours later, much to her surprise, Paige received a brief text from Spencer:

 _"Coffee break at five, Jitters Cafe? (central campus). My treat. SH."_

Paige hesitated for a minute, and then texted Spencer back. Her answer was even shorter. _"Okay. P."_

When Paige entered the small cafe, just after five o'clock, she immediately spotted Spencer. The slim brunette was sitting at a table near the main window, a few empty cups of coffee in front of her. She stood up quickly when Paige approached the table.

"Thanks for coming," she blurted, seeming nervous.

"You're welcome," Paige said politely. "I didn't know you had my number, by the way."

"It was on the list," Spencer explained with a sheepish grin.

"The list?"

"The list of, um, aspiring freshmen. I'm part of the welcome committee."

"Oh yeah, really? Well, I saw that," Paige said, a wry smile on her face. She didn't seem mad at the other girl, though.

"Yeah, about that..." Spencer muttered, looking uncomfortable. "I... I'm sorry, okay? What happened on the field this afternoon... it was inappropriate."

"Well, not really," Paige smiled. "It was just a _slightly_ late hit, I think."

Spencer let out a small laugh.

"Yes, probably."

"But, I know why you did it. And it's okay. I'd probably have reacted the same way."

"Really?" Spencer asked, surprised.

"Yes. And as you said before, we're even now. So, fresh start?" Paige asked, before holding out her hand to the other girl.

Spencer looked at her, surprised, and then took the offered hand and shook it firmly. "Fresh start. I like that. You know, McCullers..."

"What?" Paige asked, while taking a seat accross from Spencer.

"You've changed."

"For the best, I hope," Paige teased.

"It seems," Spencer smiled. She was sincere; the auburn girl looked radiant. Her hair was a little longer than before, with some blond highlights. Her big brown eyes were sparkling, with no more trace of anger or hurt. She still had this boyish style, but her clothes were neat and well-tailored.

"What do you want to drink?" Spencer asked. "The cappuccino is awesome here. And trust me, I'm an expert on all things caffeine," she added with a wink.

"So, cappuccino it is," Paige smiled.

"Okay, McCullers," Spencer started, once Paige had her coffee cup in hand.

"Be straight with me. No pun intended, of course," she added when Paige raised a mocking eyebrow. "What are you doing here?"

"Um, applying for UPenn, I guess?" Paige ventured.

"Of all colleges? You want to go to UPenn?" Spencer asked suspiciously.

"I haven't decided yet," Paige answered honestly. "I also have offers from other universities."

"Offers?"

"Full rides. From Cornell, Lafayette, and well, yes, UPenn."

Spencer stared at the other girl, her mouth agape.

"Don't look so surprised, it's almost offensive," Paige smiled, before taking a sip of her cappuccino.

"No, I..." Spencer protested, before admitting with a small smile, "Okay, I must say I'm surprised."

"It's understandable," Paige said. "I didn't think I was college material, either. If you had told me that two years ago..."

"So, what changed?" Spencer asked, intrigued.

"I did," Paige smiled. "Well, my whole life changed, as you can guess."

"When you left Rosewood for Arizona," Spencer recalled.

"Yes. I'm not gonna lie, that wasn't easy at first. My mom... we hardly knew each other. I had to trust her, and well... she had to trust me, too. So it took some time. But with her help, I was able to get back on track, first going back to high school, and then community college."

Spencer nodded. "I guess you did pretty well, if colleges such as UPenn and Cornell are after you."

Paige smiled. "Yes, to my own surprise, it... went beyond all expectations. I even aced the SATs, you know," she said, a glint of pride in her big brown eyes. "And I did pretty well in field hockey, too. Hence the college offers."

"Wow," Spencer said, impressed. "That's... that's good. And, yes, unexpected, I guess. Except for field hockey, of course. I know first-hand that you're a beast at it," she teased, earning a knowing smile from the auburn girl.

"You dropped out of school when you were in Rosewood, right?" Spencer asked.

"Yes. When I was sixteen. You know, I was..."

She stopped and dipped her head. Spencer was staring intently at her.

"I was... lost, I guess," Paige confessed in her low, husky voice. "Unhappy, for sure. And scared, and angry. Very angry."

"You had a rough life back then, with your father and all," Spencer said. "And we all make mistakes."

"You included, Hastings?" Paige asked with a small smile.

"Of course," Spencer admitted. "And by the way, McCullers... I'm sorry about the way I treated you that night," she muttered, fidgeting in her seat.

Paige frowned. "When?"

"That night, in Rosewood, at the movies. The first time I saw you with... with Em," Spencer said with a sheepish grin.

"Yeah..." Paige said, blushing. "I do remember. It's okay. You were just taking care of your friend. And... I wasn't exactly nice to you, either."

The two girls remained silent for a while. 

_And I guess it's about time to talk about the elephant in the room,_ Paige thought _._

"How... how is she?" Paige asked softly.

"You're not in contact with her at all anymore, right?" Spencer asked in a cautious voice. "I... I never really knew what happened between you two," she confessed.

"Life happened, I guess," Paige said simply. "We didn't cut ties, not really. But well, little by little... we lost touch."

And it was the truth. At the beginning, Paige and Emily were texting each other all day long, and they talked on the phone every evening. Then, once a day turned to once a week, and soon, to once a month. And even less.

They were only eighteen (seventeen for Paige), and they were living in different states. They were seeing different people, living different lifes. So, gradually, naturally, they moved on.

"...And then, that summer," Paige resumed, "Emily asked me for some space. She had just met this girl, Meghan."

"Yeah, Meghan, I remember her," Spencer said. "It didn't last long."

"Really?" Paige asked, surprised _. I didn't know that_. "Well, anyway, we completely lost touch after that. And then, I... I met someone, too."

"That blonde girl who's all clingy over you?" Spencer asked. She had instantly disliked the girl. "Um, sorry," she added when she saw Paige cringing.

"Yes, well, Brianna can be a little... overprotective sometimes," the auburn girl said.

"You mean, possessive?" Spencer retorted.

"Spencer..."

The slim brunette raised her hands in surrender.

"Sorry, sorry. Not my business."

"...It's okay," Paige said, biting a smile. "But you didn't answer me, Spencer. How is Emily doing?"

 _It feels weird, saying her name out loud after all this time. Emily. Emily. It was never just 'Em' for me, even in my head, because the whole name suits her so well._ _It's so beautiful, just like her._

Spencer studied the other girl's face before answering.

"She's doing fine," she said simply.

"...Good," Paige said, nodding. "Good. She's... she's still in Pepperdine, right?"

"Yes," Spencer confirmed. "Sophomore year."

"What's her major?"

"Paige, are we here to talk about Emily's studies?" Spencer asked with a pointed look.

"I don't know, I..." Paige stammered, before letting out a deep sigh. _It's harder than I thought._

"You know," Spencer said in a softer tone, "If you choose UPenn... you might cross paths with her again. We're not far from Rosewood, and her mother still lives there. And you know I'm one of Emily's closest friends, so..."

"I know," Paige answered simply.

"And you don't mind?"

"Spencer, Emily and I... I mean, that's water under the bridge. We both moved on. I have a girlfriend, she has a girlfriend..."

"Had a girlfriend," Spencer corrected. "She's single now. As far as I know."

"O-kay," Paige said, fidgeting in her seat. "But that's not the point. I mean, I haven't chosen my future college yet. I'm visiting Cornell next weekend, by the way."

Spencer shrugged.

"Yeah, Cornell. You could do worse. But remember, if you choose UPenn..."

"Yes?"

"You've already got a friend here."

* * *

 _ **A/N: Yeah! McHastings rules! ;)**_

 _ **...And I know, I know: no Emily in that chapter (not in person). I promise I will make it up to you soon.**_

 _ **Thanks for reading, and please review, it means a lot.**_


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: Hi everyone! I hope you're still interested in the story. I know it took an unexpected turn. Well, I'm surprised myself, too (Really? Yes, really). ;)**

 **Sometimes, a little drama is needed in fics... but don't worry, as I said before, I'm a Paily shipper, and a real one. So, I hope you won't be disappointed. Stay tuned!**

 **(and please review - the problem with the reviews on the site seems to be fixed, so don't hesitate! I'm always eager to learn what you guys think about the story. And you can also PM me - I try to answer every reviewer).**

 **A/N 2: Thank you so much** _ **siophiefandom**_ **for the amazing betareading and the constant support of this story.**

* * *

 _Three months later / Mesa, Arizona._

"So honey, have you made a choice yet?" Rachel asked, leaning over her daughter's shoulder.

Paige sighed and shook her head. For the past two hours, she had been looking closely at all the brochures and documents sent by the colleges that were offering her a full scholarship. The decision wasn't easy; all were excellent universities, and great places to live.

"May be you should take a break?" Rachel suggested. "Get some fresh air? It will help you clear your mind. But first, drink this," she said, putting a glass of fresh juice in front of her daughter.

Paige made a face like a five-year-old. "Again? What is it this time?"

"Wheat grass, apple, spirulina, and flax seeds," Rachel listed. "Everything to keep you healthy and energized."

"Mom!" Paige whined. "I don't need this!"

"Yes, you do."

"I'm full of energy. Really," Paige mumbled. "And I'm perfectly healthy."

Her mother smiled with pride and tousled Paige's hair.

"Yes, you are. Now. Because I check on you every day."

"You won't be able to do that when I am in college," Paige pointed out.

"Well, maybe not in person, but believe me, I have my ways."

"Oh, really?" Paige said with a half smile. "Such as?"

"When you will Skype or Facetime me, for instance. Or even just when we're on the phone. You know sweetie, you can tell how a person really feels just by looking and listening. By the radiance of the skin, or the glow of the eyes. And the voice. The voice is very important. I can tell instantly when you're tired or upset, just by hearing your voice."

"I'm sure you can, mom," Paige smiled fondly.

She knew that her mother needed to catch up. It was perfectly understandable. They had been separated for so many years. So, maybe she was a little overprotective of her nineteen-year-old daughter now, but who could blame her?

"But you see," Paige said, "I don't know whether I'll even have the time to call you when I'm in college. I'll probably be too busy," she teased.

"Oh yes, I guess you will," her mother retorted. "Between classes, field hockey practice, wild parties... and of course, all the girls..."

" _All the girls_?" Paige scoffed. "Mom, you know I'm with Brianna, right?"

"Yes, honey, I know," Rachel answered. "But..."

"What? It's okay, you can say it," Paige assured her.

Her mother sighed. "Paigey, you know that I love Brianna. She's a... very nice girl."

"She is," Paige nodded. "And she is the daughter of one of your closest friends, too."

"You're right, she's Barbra's daughter, and she's a sweet girl, really. It's just, I don't think... never mind."

"No, come on, you can't stop there. Spill it," Paige said, her voice a little louder.

Rachel put a soothing hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Paige... I don't want to be a meddling mother. You know that's not me, not at all. And you're nineteen now, you're an adult, and I trust you to make your own decisions. You know that, right?"

"I know," Paige admitted, dipping her head. "Sorry, mom."

"There's nothing to be sorry about, really, honey."

"But you don't like me dating Bri."

"I don't see a future for you and Brianna," Rachel corrected. "But that's normal. You're both still very young. You don't know yet what the future has in store for you. And... you've got such great potential, sweetie."

Paige smiled. "Well, you're my mother, so I guess you're biased," she joked.

"Maybe," Rachel admitted with a smile. "But I can't help it. I'm so proud of you. See what you've accomplished in less than two years? Going back to school, getting back into field hockey, dealing with a part-time job... it's awesome. And now, all those top colleges want you."

"You make it sound like a big deal," Paige remarked.

"It is, honey."

"I'm not so sure. And about my job," Paige said. "It's just dog walking!"

"Still, Paigey. Those dogs love you!"

"Yeah, well I love them, too," Paige beamed.

It was true. Paige had become a renowned dog walker in the neighborhood, and she loved her job. Her favorite "clients" were a Dachshund named Gypsy and a cross-breed German Shepherd named Angel.

The auburn girl stood up and gave her mother a light kiss on the cheek.

"And you're right. I'm gonna go for a walk. Don't wait up for me, okay? I might stop at Brianna's later. She's got this college choice to make, too," Paige said. "And before you say anything, mom, it won't affect my decision. Even if she chooses UPenn. As you said yourself, I'm an adult now," she added with a wink.

"...Of course," Rachel smiled. "Say hello to Brianna for me. Oh, and you know, honey, when you come back late at night? You can use the front door. No need to sneak in through your bedroom window. It could be dangerous, and you're not fooling me, by the way," the older woman said with a wink.

Paige blushed. "Old habits," she grinned.

"It's fine, sweetie. Just, use the door, would you? I don't want you to fall."

"Mom, your home is only one story!" Paige said, rolling her eyes.

"Still. And it's _our_ home, Paige," Rachel corrected softly but firmly. "Our home."

* * *

"I can't believe what you're saying, Brianna," Paige said in disbelief. "For months, we talked about going to UPenn together!"

"No," the petite blonde corrected in her high-pitched voice. " _You_ talked about going to UPenn. It's your dream, not mine!"

"So why didn't you say something?" Paige retorted.

"Because, Paige, you can be so stubborn sometimes!"

"I'm stubborn? I'm the stubborn one?" Paige almost yelled. "You made your decision without me, Brianna! We said we'd talk about it together! Decide together! And now you tell me that you're going to the University of South Florida! Because it's _sunnier_!"

"That's not the only reason, Paige, and you know it. You make me sound so shallow!" Brianna protested, her voice faltering.

Paige glanced at the smaller girl. Her girlfriend seemed to be on the verge of tears.

The auburn girl sighed and sat on the bed.

"I'm sorry, Bri," she said on a softer tone, taking Brianna's hand in hers. "I didn't mean to upset you. It's just... I'm surprised, and a little disappointed, I guess?"

"You can still apply to Lafayette? They offered you a full ride, and it's closer," the blonde said in a hopeful voice.

"Brianna..."

"What?"

"It's in another state! God, I hope you're not planning to major in Geography!"

"Now you're being mean again," Brianna whined.

Paige dipped her head and bit her bottom lip. "Sorry, sorry. You're right. We'll talk about all this later, okay? Now come over here?" she said in an apologetic tone.

Brianna snuggled into her girlfriend's arms.

"Can you kiss me?" she asked with a pout.

Paige smiled. "Of course, baby."

They kissed for a while, but something was still lingering in Paige's mind. She leaned back and said:

"What's wrong with UPenn?"

"Paige!"

"Sorry, I just want to understand. You seemed to enjoy it when we went there together."

"I was enjoying being with _you,_ Paige. But I hated the place."

Paige raised her eyebrows. "Really?"

"Yes, really. It's too cold and old and the people there are snobbish. Or scary, like that awful girl who tackled you in flag football."

"Spencer?" Paige asked, surprised. "Spencer is... okay, she can be a little... intense, sometimes, but... she's a good person. Really."

 _And we're kind of friends, now, I guess._

Brianna huffed. She didn't seem convinced at all.

"And anyway," the petite blonde continued, "I can't understand why you're so eager to go back to Pennsylvania. So close to Rosewood. After all that happened, especially with your father. You said yourself that part of your life was over!"

"It is," Paige confirmed. "I'm not the same girl anymore. The past is the past. And that's also why I can go to UPenn, without being upset or having hard feelings."

"Well, it seems you made your choice then," Brianna said sadly.

* * *

 _Austin, Texas_

Wayne Fields was a loving and proud father, and he was delighted to have his daughter with him for a few days. It was a rare opportunity: For once, the serviceman had been able to get some days off which coincided with Emily's Spring Break.

Instead of having his daughter fly back to Rosewood, he had offered to let her spend a week with him in Austin, where his military unit was stationed. Pam Fields was in the Philippines to visit her mother, so there was no real reason for Emily to go back to Pennsylvania.

Another reason that Wayne wanted to spend some time with his daughter was that he was really worried about her. Emily had always been a sweet girl, full of life. But for some time now, she had seemed a little off.

The first months of college hadn't been easy for her, but that wasn't surprising; after all, it was a big change. Emily had left her childhood home to go to live in Southern California, on the Pepperdine campus. She had to share a room with another girl, which wasn't so easy for an only child.

And she had struggled, as would be expected for a freshman, to earn her spot on the Pepperdine swim team. All that was normal, Pam and Wayne had told themselves.

But Emily was now a sophomore, and, lately, things hadn't seemed to improve; quite the contrary.

Emily's parents, who were Skyping with their daughter on a weekly basis, had noticed a significant change in her behavior since the beginning of her second semester. Emily was dodging all personal questions, and invariably answered "I'm fine" in a brooding tone, when they asked how she was doing. She had nothing to say about her studies, about her college friends, or about her life in general. That wasn't like her at all.

So Pam Fields, before leaving for her trip to the Philippines, asked her husband to spend some quality time with their daughter. Emily had always been a daddy's girl. She was more likely to confide in Wayne, Pam had reasoned.

And Wayne tried. He took his daughter everywhere; to the State Capitol, to the Bullock History Museum, to Barton Springs, where Emily swam in the giant pool. They even did some hiking in Mount Bonnell. Emily seemed really happy to be with her father. Her signature dimpled smile even made a comeback, much to Wayne's delight.

But she still wasn't talking about what was bothering her.

The last day, Wayne took her out line dancing. Emily was reluctant at first, but her father was a really good dancer, and she also had to admit -to her surprise- that she loved the music (especially when any of Lady Antebellum's hits were played). At the end of the evening, father and daughter shared some snacks and drinks (beer for Wayne, Diet Coke for Emily) in the rustic but friendly country bar.

Emily was smiling, but when Wayne casually asked her about her return flight and her schedule for the rest of the break, she sighed deeply and looked away. Wayne studied his daughter's face. Emily's lower lip was trembling slightly, and he could tell she was fighting tears. He knew it wasn't only because they'd be separated the next day.

"Emmy, sweetie," he said in his deep, soft voice. "Are you happy?"

Emily looked at his father, dumbfounded. She hadn't expected that question.

"What?" she asked in a small voice.

"Are you happy?" Wayne repeated. "With your life? With California, with college?"

"I..." Emily began, before bursting into tears.

Wayne Fields held Emily while she cried, her face buried in her father's shoulder. He whispered soothing words in her ear, as he had done so many times when Emily was little. He told her that she could tell him anything, whatever it was. He assured her that he and Pam only wanted Emily's happiness. Nothing else mattered.

He patiently waited for Emily to calm down, and when she did, he took her hands in his and squeezed them firmly. Wayne's dark, almond-shaped eyes were full of concern and worry, but also of love as Emily began to talk.

She told him that college wasn't at all what she thought it would be.

She was struggling with her studies, especially with her major (Sports Medicine).

For some unknown reason, one of her teachers had developed an intense dislike for Emily, and never missed an opportunity to belittle her.

Unfortunately, this teacher was the head of the department. He had somehow managed to convince Emily herself (and the other teachers too) that she didn't belong there.

It was a difficult situation, but it would have been bearable if Emily had had a strong support system at Pepperdine. That wasn't the case. She had made a few friends, of course, especially during freshman year, but when the problem with the teacher happened, the other students started talking behind her back and even avoiding her.

Some of them even posted some mean things about Emily on social media, especially on Facebook and Twitter, saying that she was dumb and that she had only been admitted to Pepperdine because she was a minority.

Wayne Fields was very angry, even heartbroken, to hear Emily's confession. He asked his daughter why she hadn't said anything to him or Pam.

"I didn't want to disappoint you or mom. I felt so lame," Emily explained in a weak voice.

"Emmy," Wayne said emphatically. "We could never, never be disappointed in you. You're a wonderful daughter Emily, and I and your mother thank God everyday for having you in our life."

Emily nodded, her throat tight. She had never really doubted her parents' love for her, but she had felt so lonely, far away from her family and childhood friends, that it was almost impossible to think clearly.

She didn't speak about her love life (or, rather, her lack of one, lately). It was a delicate topic to discuss, even though Wayne had always been a very understanding and cool father. Emily had dated a few girls during the first months of freshman year, but nothing really serious. Then, she met Meghan Foster, a charismatic auburn girl who was a junior and the captain of the softball team.

Meghan liked to party and was always surrounded by a bunch of girls (and boys) who seemed to worship her. She had been honest with Emily and had told her from the start that she didn't want a serious or exclusive relationship.

Emily, though a little disappointed at first, had finally agreed to it. It was college, after all. You were supposed to have fun, and not take love (and sex) too seriously.

It was self-deception, more than anything else. Emily Fields was the romantic kind; And even if she didn't want to admit it, her heart still belonged to another auburn beauty.

But Paige McCullers now had a brand new life in Arizona, and Emily had decided that it was best to cut the ties between them. Rosewood was the past for Paige, a painful past. And Emily didn't want to be the reminder of that past.

So she asked Paige for some space. She told Paige that she had met this girl, Meghan, and that she had strong feelings for her. Emily still remembered the long silence at the other end of the phone line. And then Paige had said, in a seemingly detached voice, "If that's what you want, then I'm okay."

It was their last conversation.

A few weeks after that, Emily broke up with Meghan. There were no hard feelings; they were just too different. After that, Emily stopped dating. She stopped going to parties, and even hanging out with her friends. Without really realizing it, she isolated herself from the other students and the whole college life.

At the beginning of sophomore year, she had no real friends left around her. Then the problem with the teacher who disliked her started; followed soon after by the bullying from other students. It affected her academics, of course, but also her performance on the swim team. As a result, during most meets, she was relegated to the bench. She could tell that her coach and her teammates, didn't trust her anymore. That was the last straw.

So, there she was, six months later, in a rustic country bar in Austin, Texas, sobbing like a baby in her father's arms. Emily didn't know what she was going to do; she just knew that she couldn't go on like this. Not anymore.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Thank you so much** _ **siophiefandom**_ **for the betareading and for the amazing Hanna line! ;)**

* * *

 _*** Four months later - Rosewood, Pennsylvania ***_

"Welcome banner, check. Home-made coconut and chocolate cake, check. Drinks, check," Spencer listed out loud. "I think everything's ready for Em's welcome back party," she said with a satisfied smile.

Hanna Marin rolled her eyes. "Of course everything's perfect, Spencer. You've been at it since what? Six in the morning?"

"Eight," Spencer Hastings corrected. "I just want Emily... I just want her to know how happy we are to have her back in Rosewood," she said softly.

Aria Montgomery, who was adding some final touches to the multi-colored welcome banner, smiled gently at her friend.

"She knows that, believe me, Spencer."

Spencer sighed. "I hope so. Because I can't help wondering..."

"What?" Aria asked.

"I can't help wondering why she didn't tell us what happened in California. It breaks my heart to know that we didn't have a clue of how sad she was, back then. And how alone."

"I guess she felt ashamed, Spence," Aria said softly. "And she said she didn't want to bother us with her problems."

"But we're her friends!" Spencer protested. "Her best friends, since... forever!"

"Of course we are, Spencer. And Emily knows that. But she'd been through so much. And I guess it was difficult for her to talk about what happened to her at Pepperdine... even with her best friends. College is supposed to be the best time of your life, after all," Aria observed.

"I thought it was high school," Hanna said, frowning.

"Certainly not," Spencer snorted. "High school sucks, especially in a small town like Rosewood. With all the bullies, and the popular clique."

Hanna scoffed. "Come on, Hastings. _You_ were part of the popular clique at Rosewood High. Everybody wanted to be friends with you. Everybody wanted to _be_ you."

"I don't know what you're talking about, Marin," Spencer retorted.

Hanna and Aria shared a knowing look, and rolled their eyes.

Just then, the Marins' doorbell rang. "It's Emily! She's early!" Spencer yelled in a high-pitched voice. "Aria, help me with the banner! Hanna, open the door!"

"Chill, Hastings," Hanna muttered while heading to the front door and opening it.

She beamed at the sight of her friend, and engulfed Emily in a bear hug.

"Oh Em!" she squealed. "You're back! I'm so, so happy to see you!"

"I'm delighted too, Hanna Banana," Emily laughed. "But um, I can't breath anymore!"

"Sorry," Hanna said, releasing her hug on the other girl. "Let me look at you... wow Em, you look amazing. Really."

The raven-haired girl let out a laugh. "I'm not so sure. I haven't slept for two days, and I had the worst flight back, with the turbulence and all."

"Still, you look really great, Em," Hanna assured her. "So, tell me, how was Haiti?"

Emily smiled, her eyes sparkling. "Great. It was great," was all she said. "I will tell you everything, I promise. But where the heck are Spence and Aria?"

The blonde girl rolled her eyes.

"They're hiding in the living room. As if this welcome party were a secret. And it's just the four of us, for god's sake!"

"I hope so," Emily smiled. "I missed you all. And I can't wait to tell you about my experience in Haiti."

* * *

"...And all in all, we managed to rebuild a total of twelve houses," Emily said, her eyes sparkling with pride. She took another bite of the chocolate and coconut cake, which was truly delicious.

"That's wonderful, Em," Aria said cheerfully.

"Yes. You know, the team was amazing. And the people in Haiti... they're unbelievable. They've got almost nothing, and still, they're so nice and generous," Emily exclaimed.

"It seems you had the best summer, Em," Spencer observed with a tender smile.

The raven-haired beauty smiled back at her friend. "It's true. I'm so glad my father pushed me to volunteer for 'Habitat for Humanity'. It was one of the best summers of my life."

"Okay, Fields," Hanna said. "You did wonders with a hammer, we get it. But what about, you know, your other skills?"

Emily frowned, oblivious. "What do you mean, Hanna?"

"Your skills with the ladies," Hanna explained, rolling her eyes. "When you weren't pounding a hammer, were you pounding anything else?... Come on, I'm sure you left broken hearts behind!" she added, ignoring Spencer's warning glare.

"Hanna, I was there to work!" Emily protested.

"Okaaay, during the day, maybe. But what about at nights? And on weekends?"

"We worked most weekends," Emily explained. "And believe me, all I could do at night was sleep. I was exhausted."

"Uh-uh," Hanna said with a dubious look. "So, no broken hearts? Not even a little summer fling?"

Emily hesitated for an instant, and then confessed with a small smile: "Okay, there was that girl, Zoe. She was my supervisor, and we were... rather close."

Hanna pumped her fist in the air and yelled: "I knew it! And an authority figure! Way to go, Em."

"Hanna..." Spencer and Aria sighed at the same time.

"Oh come on, you two. I'm sure you want to know too. Now Emily tell us, how close exactly? I want details."

"...And you won't have any," Emily retorted. "What happens in Haiti... stays in Haiti," she added, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

"Oh sure, Fields. How convenient," Hanna pouted.

* * *

An hour later, Spencer and Aria were doing the dishes in the kitchen, while Hanna was upstairs in her room, skyping her boyfriend Caleb, who was in New York.

Emily, who was truly exhausted, had fallen asleep on the couch in the living room.

They had talked about her plans for the immediate future, and Emily had told her friends that she was going to stay in Rosewood for a while, living at her parents' house. Going back to California wasn't an option; After the Pepperdine disaster, she didn't even know if she ever wanted to go back to college.

"Spence," Aria asked, "Did you tell Emily about... Paige McCullers? Does Em know that her ex is going to start attending UPenn next month?"

"Well, um, not really, I mean not yet," Spencer said, looking uncomfortable.

"But you're gonna tell her, right?"

"I'm not sure," Spencer muttered.

"What?" Aria frowned. "Come on, Spencer. Emily already said that she was very excited at the prospect of visiting you at UPenn. What if they cross paths? You and Paige are friends now, right?"

Spencer shrugged. "Yes," she admitted. "And that's why it's so difficult."

"I don't really see why..." Aria said, puzzled.

"Aria, you know they have a history," Spencer pointed out. "And... I don't want to interfere. I did it once, and... it didn't turn out very well."

"No one is asking you to intefere," Aria assured her. "Just tell Em soon, okay?... it will be worse if she finds out by herself."

"Okay, I will," Spencer sighed. "But please Aria, don't tell Hanna about Paige's return, either. You know she would make a big deal about it, and she would probably create an elaborate scenario to get them back together."

"And that would be a bad thing because...?" Aria asked.

Spencer sighed. "I told you. I don't want to interfere. That's _their_ story. And I have the feeling that Hanna is convinced that they're meant to be, or something like that. She even told me once that she believed that Paige and Emily were like Romeo and Juliet," she said, rolling her eyes.

Aria laughed. "Well, if they are, I hope their ending will be... happier."

* * *

As they had done every Thursday evening since the beginning of first semester, Spencer and Paige were working out in the gym located in the basement of Spencer's housing residence. They were both athletic and very competitive; each time they showed up together at the gym, the other students there rolled their eyes. Their fellow students even had a name for it: "McHastings time".

It meant that they either had to clear the room, or to be spectators for the competition. Which could get pretty ugly sometimes. Spencer and Paige had already broken two rowing machines and one treadmill. They were just one step away from being banished from the gym, the attendant had warned them.

"Anything scheduled for next weekend, Spence?" Paige asked while getting off of her elliptical bike.

"Um, I don't know yet," Spencer answered, wiping her forehead.

"Well, if you have nothing better to do, I'm planning to go to this outdoor concert on campus. It's for a charity event, and it's on Saturday evening."

"Well, on second thoughts," Spencer muttered without looking at Paige, "I just remembered that Toby is coming over this weekend."

"Okay, no problem," Paige answered, frowning.

 _How could she have forgotten that her boyfriend is visiting? That's weird. Even for Spencer._

"Well, I guess you'll be busy, then," Paige teased. "Say hello to Toby for me."

"Uh, sure, I will," Spencer answered, looking more and more uncomfortable.

Paige was about to ask her friend what exactly was wrong, when her phone went off. The auburn girl looked at the screen and smiled.

"It's my mother again," she told Spencer. "Gosh, she's always checking on me. This morning, she called to be sure I had a proper breakfast. Yesterday, she scolded me because I forgot to do my meditation exercices. I wonder what is it this time," she added, rolling her eyes.

"...Hi, mom?" Paige answered the phone, smiling. "Yes, everything's fine. I'm just at the gym, with Spence."

* * *

Spencer Hastings hated to lie. But when Paige had asked her what her plans for the weekend were, she panicked. Toby wasn't coming over next weekend; Emily was.

The raven-haired girl was back in Rosewood for good, and was living with her mother in her childhood home. Her former job at the Brew wasn't available anymore, but she had found another waitressing position at the Applewood Grill.

And she was now, in her own words, "exploring her options" for the future. She had the full support of her parents and friends for that. They all wanted the best for her; They wanted Emily to be happy again.

Her mother, though, was pushing her to apply to Hollis, a small university not far away from home. Emily, who had been reluctant at first about the idea of going back to college, was now seriously considering the option.

Spencer had other ideas in mind. Her goal was to push her friend to apply to Upenn for the next semester. She knew that she had to convince Emily herself, mainly because her best friend wasn't big on self-esteem, after what had happened to her in California.

Spencer also knew that, sooner or later, she would have to talk to Paige McCullers about Emily's return to Pennsylvania.

* * *

Emily was really enthusiastic about UPenn. So far, she loved everything about the campus. Spencer had given her the grand tour, and the two friends were now enjoying a coffee break at Insomnia Cookies (Spencer had picked this place because she knew Paige rarely went there, and was more likely to hang out at the Jitters Cafe).

"Spencer! You were right, Upenn is awesome!" Emily exclaimed, her eyes sparkling. "It's so beautiful! I love those old buildings. It's like, Hogwarts?"

"Uh?" Spencer said, raising her eyebrows.

"You know, Harry Potter's school?"

"I _know_ , Emily. I've read all the Harry Potter books, several times, and in three languages."

"So, you see what I mean then."

"Not really," Spencer smirked, "But if you say so. By the way, I'm pretty sure you'd be a Hufflepuff."

"Oh yeah?" Emily retorted. "Well, you'd be a Ravenclaw then."

"Of course," Spencer said with pride. "And Hanna would be a Gryffindor, and Aria... hmm, probably a cute little Hufflepuff like you. Wait, why are we talking about this?..."

Emily didn't answer. She was staring at a poster on the wall.

"Look Spencer, there's an outdoor concert tonight! And it's for a charity event! Can we go?" she said, excited.

"No! No way!" Spencer squeaked.

Emily looked at her friend, bewildered.

"Um, why? Are you afraid of the dark now? Or is it because you don't like indie music anymore?" Emily teased.

"No, it's just... I have something else planned for the evening. What about a quiet dinner at my place? Aren't you tired?"

"Well, no, not really," Emily said. She smiled at her best friend. "But dinner at your place sounds fine. We have to catch up, girl!"

Spencer smiled back at Emily, relieved.

"Yes, we have to," she admitted.

 _And I have something really important to tell you, even if I don't know when I'm going to do it yet. Or how._

* * *

They were approaching Spencer's residence when it happened. Spencer was casually talking to Emily, when she saw the raven-haired girl stop dead in her tracks.

"Spencer!" Emily gasped, grabbing the other girl's arm.

Spencer followed her friend's gaze, and froze. She felt the panic starting to rise.

Right in front of them was an equally shocked Paige McCullers.

 _Oh no_ , Spencer thought. _Oh no, no, no, no, no. Shit._

Emily let go of Spencer's arm and stepped forward. Her eyes were riveted on Paige's pale face. The girl had changed. She seemed older, more assured. So different from the wild teenager Emily had met in a cop car, almost three years ago. But Emily could recognize those beautiful brown eyes anywhere.

"Paige?!" Emily said in disbelief. "Is that you? But what are you doing here?"

"I'm... I'm a student here," Paige answered in a hoarse voice. "And you... what are you doing here?"

"I'm visiting Spencer," Emily retorted.

Paige glanced at Spencer, who looked like a deer in the headlights.

"You said you were spending the weekend with Toby," she said in a reproachful tone.

"Um, well, yeah, but..." Spencer stammered lamely. _Think, Hastings, think_.

"I can't believe it, Spencer," Emily said, shaking her head in disbelief. "And you're... friends, now?! What happened to _'this girl is trouble'_?"

The hurtful look on Paige's face wasn't lost on Spencer.

"Paige, Emily..." the slim brunette pleaded. "I'm so sorry, it wasn't..."

"Forget it, Hastings," Paige cut her off. "I'm... I'm gonna leave, now," she said in a hoarse voice. "Bye, Emily."

Paige turned away and left as quickly as she could, her head down, her hands buried in the pockets of her jacket. Her heart was hammering in her chest and she could feel hot tears forming in her eyes.

Old feelings were rushing back, strongly, for one reason and one reason only: the raven-haired girl she had never forgotten was back, and her world had just collapsed, again.

* * *

 **A/N: I know, guys. Tough time for our girls... B** **ut with Emily back in Pennsylvania, there's hope, right?...**

 **Anyway, stay tuned, and please review, it means a lot!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: Did you miss badass Paige?... Well, she's back.**

 **Thank you so much** _ **siophiefandom**_ **for the betareading, as usual! :)**

* * *

The following morning, Spencer showed up at Paige's dorm-room door with two cups of coffee in hand, and an apologetic look on her face.

Emily had left for Rosewood a little earlier, as scheduled.

Spencer and Emily had talked things through. There had been blame, a little, and apologies, a lot. But no tears.

Spencer didn't know whether she felt relieved or disappointed by Emily's reaction. Her friend had basically told her that she didn't have feelings for Paige McCullers anymore. She wasn't mad at Spencer that Paige was back in Pennsylvania, or that she was now a student at UPenn, Emily had explained; She was mad at Spencer because she hadn't _told her_ that Paige was there.

When Paige opened her door, Spencer immediately noticed that the auburn girl looked exhausted. Her face was pale and she had red eyes.

"Hastings," Paige said flatly. "And coffee."

"Yes," Spencer said, with her best puppy eyes.

"Is that a peace offering?"

"I guess it is... can I come in?"

Paige seemed to hesitate for a second before sighing: "Okay. I could use coffee anyway. I hope this one's strong."

"The strongest," Spencer smiled, relieved. "You know me, McCullers."

"Not that well, apparently," Paige retorted.

Spencer sighed deeply and sat on Paige's bed. "Yeah, about that... I'm really sorry, Paige. Really, really sorry."

"About what, exactly?"

"About not telling you that Emily was coming over this weekend. And... about saying that you were trouble. But you know, that was years ago. I didn't really know you back then."

Paige smiled sadly.

"It's okay. And you were right, I was trouble. I don't blame you for thinking that about me."

"But you blame me for not telling you about Em," Spencer pointed out.

"Well, Spencer... yes. I feel hurt. I thought we were friends."

"And we are!" Spencer protested. "I'm your friend, and Emily's. And that's exactly why I wanted to... to protect you, I guess. To protect you _both_."

Paige glanced at the other girl, frowning. "And you thought it was better not to tell me? You even lied to me when I asked you what you were doing this weekend. You said Toby was coming over!"

"I messed up, okay?" Spencer almost yelled. "It's just... I don't know what to do with you two," she said in a frustrated tone. "You both say you're over each other, but I don't really think you..."

"Wait," Paige cut her off. "Did Emily tell you that she was over me?"

"Well, not in those exact words, but she... she told me that you're history, yes," Spencer answered, eyeing her friend carefully. Paige's face seemed even paler than before.

Paige suddenly felt her legs go weak. She sat next to Spencer on her bed and took her head in her hands. Spencer could see that she was trembling hard.

"Oh no, Paige," the tall slim girl said, panicked. "Paige, what's going on? Talk to me," she begged.

"I'm... I'm not over her, Spence," Paige sobbed. "I'm not over her. I thought I was, but I'm not."

"Oh god, Paige," Spencer stammered, before taking the other girl in her arms and hugging her tightly. "I had no idea..."

"I know I should be," Paige confessed in a teary voice. "It's been years. And I've moved on. And I have a girlfriend. I can't feel that way about Emily. Not anymore."

"But you still love her?" Spencer asked in a soft voice, releasing her grip.

Paige sniffled and nodded sadly. "Yes, I do. I don't think I ever stopped loving her," she admitted. "And when I saw her with you yesterday... everything came back in an instant. She's like... my kryptonite, Spencer."

"And... what about your girlfriend, in Arizona?" Spencer asked cautiously.

Paige let out a deep sigh. "Brianna..." she said sadly. "I don't know anymore, I... I like her very much, but... I tried... I really tried... I even thought it was love. You know, it was... I don't know, easier. But if I'm really honest... there's no comparison with what I felt for Emily. What I still feel."

"Wow. What a mess," Spencer said, for once at a loss for words.

"Yeah, well. Give me that coffee now, Hastings," Paige said in a hoarse voice.

She wiped her eyes. "I have a bottle of Bourbon right there on that shelf," she added, motioning to the other girl.

"Um, Paige, it's only ten o'clock", Spencer objected.

Paige glared at the other girl. "Hastings. Grab the freakin' bottle, and Irish up that coffee for me. I _so_ need it right now."

Spencer raised her hands in surrender. "Okay, okay. Irish coffee it is, then."

* * *

In the days that followed, Spencer carefully avoided the "Emily" topic when Paige was around. The auburn girl seemed back to her normal self; the confident, optimistic student that Spencer had gotten to know since Paige started at UPenn.

But Spencer hadn't forgotten what Paige had confessed to her that morning in her dorm room. And she had the feeling that Emily hadn't been totally honest with her (or with herself) when she had asked her whether she still felt something for Paige. Emily's words had been clear; harsh, even: 'We're history'. But Spencer Hastings was a smart girl. She could see beyond the words. And she had noticed Emily's slightly trembling tone, as well as her blurred eyes. Emily Fields could go on pretending she was over Paige McCullers; Spencer knew better.

* * *

"Are you sure," Toby asked his girlfriend, "that you know what you're doing, Spence?"

"Toby, you should know that I always know what I'm doing," Spencer retorted.

"What, is there something wrong with the party?" she said, frowning.

She had supervised every detail of Toby's birthday party, in the Hastings way (meaning: perfectly).

"No, no," Toby said quickly. "The party's awesome. It's more about... some of the guests", he confessed.

"What do you mean?" Spencer asked. "Which guests?"

"Emily and her ex... I mean Paige... well, they haven't exchanged a single word," The blue-eyed boy said.

"They said hi to each other," Spencer said flatly.

Toby rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and apart from that... they're avoiding each other like the plague. And every time they cross paths, Emily shoots daggers at Paige."

Spencer sighed. "I know. I noticed."

"I thought the point was to get them back together?"

"Well, that's the main goal," Spencer explained. "The first step is to get them talking again."

"Well, in that case, it's not working," Toby remarked.

Toby was right. Not only weren't the two ex-girlfriends talking to each other, but Emily made a point to look elsewhere or even to leave the room each time Paige approached. The auburn girl had tried to say a few words to her ex, but Emily's icy glare had discouraged any attempt at small talk.

So now Paige stood brooding on the porch, a beer in hand and another one by her side, wondering why she had agreed to go to the birthday party in the first place. It wasn't as if she knew Toby all that well; she had just met the guy once or twice, when he was visiting Spencer at UPenn. Sure, he and Paige had gotten along, and had even shared some pleasant conversations about baseball. (Toby was a fan of the Phillies, while Paige had always been a Red Sox fan, like her uncle Mike.)

Of course, the real reason that Paige had accepted the invitation was that Spencer had told her that Emily would be there, too. Toby and Emily had been friends for a long time, even before the blue-eyed boy met Spencer, and since the party was being held in Toby's house, just accross the street from Emily's, it was obvious that the raven-haired girl would be present.

But since the beginning of the evening, Emily had spent all her time with Toby's friends, who for the main part were also his colleagues. She had even feigned interest in their conversations about constructions sites (she could relate a little now, thanks to her experience in Haiti) and, well, later on, about attractive girls (after all, Emily knew a thing or two about that, too).

Paige was nursing her beer, lost in her own dark thoughts, when she felt someone sitting next to her on the porch. The newcomer was a slim girl, with long auburn hair and piercing green eyes.

"So, you're banned from the house too?" the girl asked in a casual tone.

Paige frowned and glanced at the girl. She wasn't in the mood to talk.

"No," she said in her husky voice. "I just needed some fresh air." She took a long sip of her warm beer.

"I see," the girl smirked. "Can I have this one?" she asked, pointing out the other bottle.

Paige shrugged. "Whatever. Take it. But there's plenty of fresh beer inside," she remarked.

"I guess," the other girl grinned. "But I'm not allowed inside the house tonight, so..." she said with a wink.

Paige stared at her, wondering if the girl was kidding or not. The girl was pretty and self-assured, but there was something in her that Paige couldn't read - something intriguing, but also a bit scary. It was a weird combination.

"Who are you?" Paige asked bluntly.

"I'm Jenna," the girl answered, an amused smile on her lips. "Toby's step-sister", she clarified. "I'm surprised you haven't heard about me. I'm like, the wicked witch of Rosewood," she teased.

"The... what?" Paige asked, frowning.

"Never mind. So, what's your name, stranger?"

"It's... Paige," Paige said reluctantly. "Paige McCullers," she added, studying the other girl's face to see whether the name rang a bell or not.

"Never heard of you before," Jenna said curtly. "So, Paige McCullers, how do you know Toby?"

"I'm, um, a friend of his girlfriend, Spencer," Paige answered. "We're both students at Upenn," she added, without really knowing why.

"Oooh, so you're not only gorgeous, you're also very smart," Jenna said in a flirty tone. "I should have known. Spencer has the best friends. Like her bestie Emily, for instance," she added, catching Paige off guard.

Jenna bit a smile when she saw Paige's expression change. "So, I guess you know Emily Fields, Paige?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.

Paige dipped her head. "Yeah..." she breathed.

Jenna grinned knowingly. "And let me guess... she's the reason you're out there, all alone and moody."

"You could say that," Paige admitted with a shrug.

"You know, Paige..." Jenna said.

"What?"

"This beer is too warm. And not strong enough anyway. I have something better," she said, taking a small bottle out of her jacket.

Paige frowned. "What is it?"

"Vodka. And the best kind, direct from Russia. Want some? You look like someone who could use some real alcohol."

"I second that," Paige said, grabbing the bottle.

* * *

Emily had accepted a dance with one of Toby's friend from work, Hank. After all, it wasn't a slow dance, and the guy was nice enough. She was enjoying herself for the first time since the beginning of the evening.

When Spencer had invited her to the party, she had been honest with her, unlike the time Emily visited UPenn. She had told Emily that Paige would be there, too. Emily had answered that she didn't mind. But she did. Pushing Paige out of her mind was hard enough. Being in the same room as her was... very difficult. Ignoring her was... torture. And it was confusing, to say the least. Emily didn't know whether she wanted to slap the girl or kiss her. Maybe both. And this kind of thinking -this kind of _feeling-_ scared her. She had moved on, right?...

Emily was chatting with Hank when she felt a clammy hand grabbing her wrist. Startled, she turned to face a staggering and red-eyed Paige McCullers.

"So, you're... you're into boys, now?" Paige stammered with difficulty.

"What? No, I'm..." Emily protested. "Paige, let go of me! Are you drunk?"

Paige snorted, but tightened her grip on Emily.

"And what if I'm drunk? Who cares? Dance with me, now, Emily," she almost yelled. "You've been avoiding me the whole night! You owe me a dance! And a kiss!"

"I don't owe you anything, Paige," Emily snapped. The other guests were starting to gather around them now.

Toby's friend put a soothing hand on Paige's shoulder. "Calm down, okay, miss? Everything's fine."

Paige didn't answer him, but released Emily's wrist. The raven-haired girl took a step backward.

Paige shook her head in disbelief. "You don't want to dance with me," she whined. "You don't even want to talk with me!"

"Certainly not, not when you're like this," Emily retorted. "Look at you! You're drunk, Paige! And you're acting like a jerk!"

"And what the fuck?! You don't like bad girls anymore?" Paige yelled. "Oh yeah, I get it. I'm not bad enough for you now. You were only interested in 'badass Paige'. So, what do you want me to do? Start a fight? Because I could," she said in a half-cocky, half-desperate voice.

"Stop it, Paige!" Emily hissed. "You're embarrassing yourself! Just... just go away now!" she added in an almost pleading tone.

Paige let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, yeah, I'm leaving, _Dream Girl_ ," she sneered. "And don't worry, I won't bother you again anytime soon."

With those words, she turned away and rushed out of the house, leaving an angry and conflicted Emily behind her.

* * *

That night, Paige McCullers methodically punished every trash can she crossed paths with on the streets of Rosewood, not caring at all about the mess and the noise. Eventually, of course, some neighbors called the police. Paige was far too drunk and too disoriented to run away. Her blurry mind, though, registered that the officer who rushed towards her from the police car was an old acquaintance: Darren Wilden.

The young man had a victorious grin on his face when he grabbed the girl's left arm. Paige didn't try to fight. She already knew that she had lost the battle - and not only the one with Wilden.

The cop pinned Paige on the ground and tore her arm behind her back, making the auburn girl wince in pain.

"You know, McCullers," Wilden hissed viciously in Paige's ear. "You haven't changed. You're still the same white trash you always were."

Then he handcuffed her, and pulled her up roughly.

"We're going to the station. Remember that cop car? Your usual seat is still warm," he sneered.

Paige didn't answer. Whatever the obnoxious cop was saying wasn't important. She was thinking even worse things about herself.

* * *

Just after seven the following day, Paige stepped out of the Rosewood police station, wincing as the bright morning sun hit her eyes. She looked around her, unsure of what to do next, and even where to go. She had spent the night in the station's holding cell, as expected. At little bit after dawn, a young cop had let her go after lecturing her, but without charges.

Thank god, Wilden had left the police station just after locking her in the cell (not without insulting her one more time), and Mike McCullers wasn't on duty that night. Paige hadn't seen her uncle since her departure for Arizona, but they had kept in touch, and she knew that the older man was happy and relieved that Paige had been able to get her life back on track. It would have been such a disappointment for him to see his niece back in her old, bad habits, Paige thought. She felt even more miserable than she had the night before. The hangover wasn't helping.

She dipped her head and crossed the street, walking as fast as she could. For now, she just wanted to move far away from that fateful place. _I should never have come back to Rosewood._

She heard a vehicle behind her, and then a honk. She turned around to see Spencer Hastings behind the wheel of her black Toyota.

Paige sighed and approached the car. Spencer lowered the window and said:

"Need a ride, McCullers?"

Paige looked down and shrugged.

Spencer's eyes were staring intently at her.

"What do you want me to say?" Paige said after a while, her tone harsh. "I guess I'm an idiot."

"Um, maybe," Spencer said flatly. "We can talk about that, if you want to. But for now, I think all you need is some strong coffee and a long shower. Lucky you, the Hastings residence can provide you with both of those, and even more. So, hop in now!"

Paige glanced at her friend. Spencer's tone was light, but she had that determined Hastings look in her eyes, and Paige knew her well enough now to know that she wouldn't take no for an answer. So she nodded, opened the passenger door and sat down, muttering a small 'thanks' to the other girl.

* * *

The next day, Spencer organized a Skype phone call with two of her best friends.

"Well, Hastings," Hanna said after Spencer told them about the events at Toby's birthday party. "It's about time we come to the rescue. You're obviously not handling the Paily situation very well."

"Excuse me?!" Spencer snorted. " What would _you_ do, pray tell?! It's easy for you to say. Do I have to remind you that you're in New York? And what exactly is Paily, by the way? "

"Yes, I'm in New York, but that's not even a problem," Hanna answered. "From now on, Spencer, I'm in charge. And, duh, Paily, as in Paige-and-Emily, of course."

"Really, Hanna?" Spencer asked, rolling her eyes.

"Yes, really. And have faith in me, Spencer," the bubbly blonde replied in a confident tone. "Have faith in me."

"Now I'm really afraid," Spencer said wryly. "Aria, you've always been the voice of reason. Please help me!" she begged in a half-joking tone.

Aria's light laughter resonated over the speaker. "Well, for once, I think Hanna's right, Spence. Let her take the lead."

"Yeah, Montgomery!" Hanna said in a loud voice. "Love you gal! If I could, I would high-five you right now!"

"Yes, I guess you would, Hanna," the petite brunette retorted.

"And now, Spencer," Hanna continued. "Does your family still have that vacation house in Cape May?..."

* * *

 **A/N: Well, well. I know, guys. Things are a "little bit" rocky between Paige and Em...**

 **Please don't be (too) mad at me. Thank you so much for reading, and you know, every review makes my day.**

 **Next chapter: Spencer and the gang to the rescue! ;)**


	8. Chapter 8

The Hastings' vacation house in Cape May was a short walk from the beach. It wasn't the biggest house in the neighborhood, but it had four bedrooms, a nice living room with a fireplace, and a lovely screened porch. The decor was sober but tasteful - very Hastings, Emily thought.

For almost an hour now, she had been wandering around the house and the small but charming garden. Aria had dropped her off, with their bags and some food and supplies for the weekend. The small brunette had told Emily that she needed a fill-up; she knew the way to the gas station, and Spencer was supposed to join them anytime now, so it was better for Emily to wait at the house and start getting settled.

But Aria had been gone for more than an hour now, and Emily was beginning to worry a bit. She wanted to call her friend, of course, but she couldn't find her cell phone. She had probably left it in Aria's car, she supposed.

Emily was upstairs, in one of the guest rooms, when she heard a car pulling into the driveway. She whizzed down the stairs quickly, a wide smile on her face.

She could hear someone rummaging around on the front porch, probably searching for the spare key that was usually kept under a flowerpot.

Emily opened the door and exclaimed: "I'm already here Spence, no need to..."

Her words died on her lips when she realized who was there. It wasn't Spencer, or even Aria. Right in front of her stood a very surprised Paige McCullers.

"Paige?..." Emily said, stunned. "What are you doing here?"

"Spencer just dropped me off," Paige said. "She... she invited me for the weekend. I didn't know you were gonna be there too..." she muttered, looking uncomfortable.

Paige and Emily hadn't seen each other, or even talked, since Toby's disastrous birthday party three weeks earlier.

"And where is Spencer now?" Emily asked, frowning.

"She told me she had someone to visit downtown, a friend of her mother's... she said she'd be back in no time..." Paige replied.

"I see. So, are you going to come in, or not? "Emily asked sharply.

Paige raised her eyebrows and cleared her throat. "Um, yes, if you let me in?" she said tentatively.

Emily frowned, before realizing she was standing in the doorway, blocking the entrance. She took a step backward.

"Okay, come on in," she said with a shrug. "Aria should be back soon anyway."

"...What is Spencer doing? Can't you call her?" a rather irritated Emily asked a little later, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the house since Paige's arrival.

"I can't, she's got my phone," Paige explained. "She borrowed it because her battery was dead. Why don't you call her yourself? Or Aria?"

"I forgot my cell in Aria's car," Emily retorted. _Or, maybe she took it._

The two girls remained silent for a minute, and then Emily asked:

"Are you thinking what I'm thinking?"

Paige bit a smile. "I think so, yeah."

"This is a set-up, isn't it?"

"I'm afraid so."

"They're not gonna come back, are they?"

"I don't think so."

"Did you know about this?"

"No, Emily. Did you?"

"No, Paige, I didn't. So, what are we gonna do now?..."

Just then, the home phone rang, startling the two girls. Emily, her eyes fixed on Paige, picked up the phone.

"Hello?..." she asked in a cautious voice.

"Hello, may I talk to Emily Fields, please?"

Emily sighed deeply.

"Hanna... you know it's me."

"Yes, I know, bestie. So, is Paige nearby?"

"Hanna... yes, she is, but..."

"Okay Fields, don't argue. Spencer and Aria already texted me, so I know you're both there. I was just checking whether Paige was within earshot. Can you put me on speaker now?"

"Hanna..." Emily sighed again, before complying. She knew from experience that it was useless to argue with Hanna. Even over the phone.

"So, Em, Paigey," Hanna's firm voice said over the speaker. "I know you both feel trapped right now."

Paige snorted and muttered 'no kidding', and Emily rolled her eyes.

"...But look on the bright side," Hanna continued. "You've got the whole weekend ahead of you. You're staying in a dream house, just across from the beach. The perfect romantic setting."

"Hanna, please..." Paige pleaded, glancing at Emily.

"Listen to me, McCullers. You've got almost two days, and one night, to work your charms on your 'Dream Girl' again. And don't mess up this time," Hanna said in a stern voice.

Paige opened and closed her mouth several times. She was at a loss for words.

And just then, something really unexpected happened.

Emily suddenly burst out laughing, surprising both Hanna and Paige.

"That's... that's crazy, really," the raven-haired girl hiccupped. "Even for you, Marin."

"...Maybe," Hanna said. "I'm glad to hear that you're in a good mood now, Fields. Now girls, listen. Spencer and Aria have the cars, and your phones too, by the way. There's plenty of food in the fridge, and three bottles of an excellent wine in the kitchen. The rooms are all available, with clean sheets on every bed. By the way, the best bed for sex is the one in the blue room upstairs. Don't ask me how I know that."

"Hanna!" Emily gasped. "We're not gonna..."

"You never know," Hanna retorted. "If McCullers plays her cards right..."

Paige buried her face in her hands. "Hanna..." she whined.

"You heard me, Paigey. Blue room, upstairs. And don't tell Spencer."

Paige shook her head in disbelief, even though Hanna couldn't see her. Emily was laughing nervously now.

"...Have fun, girls," Hanna concluded. "Spence will pick you up both on Sunday evening. Till then... don't do anything I wouldn't do," she teased. "Bye, guys."

Paige pressed the speaker button on the phone to end the call.

"...Your friends are crazy," she said, shaking her head and glaring at Emily, who was now trying to regain her composure. "So, that's their master plan? Trap us in a house?"

"We're not really trapped," Emily objected.

"Oh yeah, so where can we go then? We have no cars, not even a bike... Wait, maybe I can find one outside!" Paige said in a hopeful voice.

She stepped towards the front door, but stopped when she saw the look of hurt on Emily's face.

"So, that's the only thing you want now? To get away from me?" the raven-haired girl asked in a weak voice.

"Emily, no..." Paige protested. "That's not what I meant. It's just... I'm afraid," she confessed, dipping her head.

Emily frowned. "Afraid? Afraid of me?"

"Of me. Of us," Paige said in a barely audible voice. "Afraid of what would happen. If we..."

"If we fight? Or if... we reconcile?" Emily asked. "Would that be such a bad thing?"

Paige glanced at her. "You... you told Spencer that you were over me," she said.

"Because I thought _you_ were over me," Emily retorted. "And because I thought it was for the best."

"The best for whom?" Paige asked, frustrated. "You don't get to decide for me, Emily."

Emily sighed. "Okay," she said. "We obviously have some... things to figure out. And I'm ready to talk about that. But only if you want to."

Paige took her time before answering.

"...Fine," she said after a while. "We'll talk. But for now... I really need to clear my mind. I think I'm gonna go for a walk."

Emily nodded, her throat tight. "Well, the path to the beach is on your left, if you take the back door" she said, trying to hide her disappointment.

Paige just nodded, and left without a word.

* * *

It was almost sunset when Emily took the walk to the beach herself.

Paige was sitting on the sand with her legs crossed, facing the sea. Emily approached carefully, not wanting to startle the other girl. She sat at a respectable distance, studying Paige's expression. The auburn girl had her eyes closed, but her features seemed relaxed.

After a while, Paige opened her eyes and turned her head. She smiled softly at Emily. She didn't seem surprised, or upset, to see her there.

"Sorry," Emily whispered. "I didn't want to intrude."

"It's okay," Paige assured her. "I was just doing some mindfulness meditation."

"Oh, wow, you do that now?" Emily asked, surprised.

"Well, you know... my mother is into that. And into a lot of 'new age' things, by the way. So, she taught me. How to meditate, I mean. I was reluctant at first, but surprisingly... it worked," Paige explained.

"Oh," Emily said. "That's great. Right?"

Paige let out a small laugh. "Well, actually, it is. It really helped me with my anxiety... and my anger issues," she said with a sheepish grin. "At least, I thought it did."

"Well, about that..." Emily said. "What happened at Toby's party..."

Paige dipped her head.

"Yeah, Emily," she said in a low voice. "I'm so sorry about that. You were right. I acted like a jerk that night."

"Spencer told me what happened after you left the house," Emily said cautiously. "The night you spent in jail. After Wilden arrested you... again."

Paige sighed deeply. "Yeah... I guess some things never change."

" _You_ changed, Paige. Everyone can see that."

"How can you be so sure, Emily? You don't know me anymore," Paige objected.

Emily drew near Paige and stared at her intently. She felt the auburn girl tense.

"Maybe. But... as much as I liked the old you... I really want to get to know the new you," Emily said in a soft but determined voice.

Paige looked up at her, stunned.

"You do? Really?"

"Of course. Why is that so hard to believe?"

"I don't know, I... I thought you only liked the bold, badass me," Paige muttered, her right hand nervously drawing patterns in the sand.

Emily shook her head and smiled fondly. "Paige McCullers... do I have to explain everything to you? You're so frustrating sometimes."

Paige scoffed. "Yeah, well, and what about you, Emily Fields? Ignoring me at the party, until I... I act out?"

"Okay, we're both frustrating," Emily admitted with a half-smile. "That's probably why our friends decided on this... little intervention."

Paige rolled her eyes. "Yeah, well, they're crazy," she said.

"You already said that."

"Because it's true," Paige retorted. "I still can't believe they decided to do that. Bring us here, with no way of leaving the house. They even took our phones."

"You could always walk to the village, there's probably a bus service. Or, you could use the home phone to call a taxi to pick you up," Emily ventured.

 _Why am I suggesting that, by the way?_

"I guess I could... but the thing is, I don't really want to do that," Paige answered with a small smile.

Emily's heart skipped a beat. "You don't?" she asked in a hopeful tone.

"Nope. I'd rather stay here, with you..." Paige said. She glanced at Emily, who was now staring at her with a wide grin.

"What?" Paige grumbled, blushing.

"Nothing..." Emily said, not wanting to push her luck. _Admit it, you can't resist me, McCullers. And, well, I can't resist you, either._

The two girls remained silent for a while, watching the sun go down over the sea.

The air was getting chillier now, and Emily couldn't help shivering.

"You cold?" Paige asked with a frown.

Emily shook her head. "No, it's okay."

Paige stood up and held out her hand to Emily. "Come on, Emily. Let's go back inside."

"You're sure?" Emily asked, taking Paige's hand. She shuddered at the touch _._

 _I so missed that. Your hand in mine._

"Yes," Paige assured her. "I'm cold too, and well, I'm hungry. Aren't you?"

"Oh, about that," Emily said. "Dinner is ready."

"Wait, you mean you made dinner?" Paige asked, surprised.

"Well, yeah. When you were... meditating, I was actually working," Emily teased.

Paige raised her eyebrows. "Wow, you're full of surprises, Fields. And what's for dinner?"

"You'll find out soon," Emily retorted.

Paige didn't seem to want to let go of her hand, much to Emily's surprise (and delight).

The two girls headed back towards the house, not talking, but exchanging glances and small smiles.

They shared the dinner Emily had prepared (pasta with shrimps and tomato sauce, and fruit salad for dessert). They opened one of the bottles of wine they had found on the kitchen counter, opting for a white Chardonnay which was actually excellent.

They didn't speak much, just the usual small talk when you feel comfortable enough with someone to relax and be yourself without having to overthink every word.

It might have been unexpected, but they were really enjoying their evening together.

Paige insisted on doing the dishes. "You made dinner, I'm in charge of the cleaning," she told Emily firmly. "Just relax in the living room now," she added.

"Yes, ma'am," Emily giggled.

Paige rolled her eyes at her, and headed to the kitchen.

When Paige came back in the living room, she found Emily curled on the couch, a pensive look on her face.

"Hey, everything okay?" the auburn girl asked.

Emily looked up and smiled gently at her.

"Yes. I was just thinking... life can be so weird sometimes."

Paige frowned and kneeled down beside the couch, rather close to Emily.

"But... good weird, right?" she asked in a worried tone.

"Oh yes, good weird, definitely," Emily reassured her. "It's just... you know, a few months ago, I was in California, and I was so unhappy..."

She stopped when she saw the look of sadness on Paige's face.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through all that, Emily," Paige said softly. "Spencer told me what happened there, and..." _And I'm so sorry I wasn't there to protect you._

"Oh, it's not your fault, Paige," Emily replied quickly. "Don't feel guilty, please. And you know, my dad taught me that things happen for a reason. Pepperdine wasn't for me, I guess. And maybe it was for the best."

"What do you mean?" Paige asked, confused.

"Well, you see, after that... disastrous college experience, I left for Haiti, and that happened to be the best summer of my life. And then I came back to live in Rosewood, the town I love the most, with my mother, whom I really missed. And then... there's you," she said with a shy smile. "Back in my life."

Paige nodded, her throat tight. "I'm back in your life, Emily," she confirmed in a hoarse voice. "If you let me?"

Emily leaned forward, reached for Paige's face and crushed their lips together.

Paige felt her heart swell with joy. _Okay, I guess that answers my question._

They only parted lips when breathing became an issue. They smiled at each other, both breathless, their faces flustered.

"Wow. We've always been good at this," Paige said with a dreamy smile.

Emily giggled. "Always the cocky one, McCullers."

"Hey, I said _we_ are good at this," Paige protested. "We're the perfect match."

"That's what Hanna thinks," Emily said. "Hence the set-up, I guess."

"Remind me to thank her later," Paige whispered, before recapturing Emily's mouth. She felt Emily smiling against her lips.

The raven-haired girl grabbed Paige's shoulders and pulled her down on the couch with her. They made out there for a while, not rushing things, just enjoying every kiss, every touch, every whimper. When things got a little more heated, Paige whispered in Emily's ear: "Wanna go upstairs? Take it to the bed?"

Emily didn't answer, and Paige looked at her, concerned.

"Emily? Sorry if I... I don't want to pressure you, I just assumed that you wanted..." she stammered.

Emily smiled at her. "It's okay, Paige. You assumed right. It's just... there's something we never did together. Something I always wanted to do with you," she confessed, blushing.

"Oh wow, now you're beginning to scare me, Fields," Paige teased. "We did so many things together, back then in Rosewood. Even though we only had sex once. Well, technically, three times in one night, if I remember correctly."

Emily gave Paige a playful slap on her shoulder.

"Paige! Take your mind out of the gutter. It's nothing like that. It's just something that... never mind," she said with a pout.

"Emily," Paige said with determination. "I'd do anything for you... hey, you're my Dream Girl, after all," she added with that cute, charming McCullers smile. "So, just ask."

Emily bit her bottom lip. "I... I'd like to dance with you," she whispered.

Paige raised her eyebrows. "That's it? You want to dance?" she asked, surprised.

"I know it sounds stupid," Emily muttered. "It's just, there's this old record player just there, and the Hastings have the best vinyl collection, Spencer told me about it once, and..."

Paige put a finger on Emily's lips to stop her. _She's so adorable when she's rambling._

"It's okay, Emily," Paige said, her eyes sparkling. "I'd _love_ to dance with you. Do you have any particular song in mind?"

"Um, I don't know, maybe a slow song?" Emily asked.

"Of course," Paige said. "That goes without saying."

She gave Emily a chaste kiss on the lips, and stood up from the couch.

"Now, let's see that fabulous vinyl collection," she said.

Emily was right - the Hastings owned the best vintage records. It was difficult to make a choice, but when Paige came upon the famous album by the Eagles, 'Hotel California', she smiled in triumph. _We have a winner._

She showed the album to Emily. "You know this one?"

"Of course," Emily answered. "That's a classic!"

"Yeah, but do you know _this_ _song_?" Paige countered. She put the vinyl on the record player, selected the last track, and the first notes of 'Wasted Time' rose in the air.

Paige made a small bow towards Emily. "And now, Dream Girl, would you dance with me?..."

Somehow, it was the most sensual slow dance Emily and Paige had ever experienced. They weren't doing anything special; they were just holding each other tight, sharing a few kisses and whispering tender words here and there. But there was something magic in that moment, because it was very different from what they had shared before. They both knew now what it meant to be reunited. They knew they had a second chance. And they didn't want to waste it.

The song Paige had chosen was about that; about wasted time, about regrets. About bad decisions. And new chances.

When the song ended, neither girl reacted. They were lost in each other's eyes, smiling soflty.

"Thanks," Emily whispered.

"My pleasure, Dream Girl," Paige whispered back.

"I so love it when you call me that," Emily confessed.

"Really?" Paige asked, beaming.

"Of course."

"You know, I mean it. You're my dream come true."

"You really know how to sweet-talk a girl, don't you?" Emily teased.

Paige blushed and said softly: "Only you, Emily. Only you."

Emily leaned forward and gave Paige a tender yet passionate kiss. She could feel the other girl shiver with anticipation and desire. She broke the kiss, earning a small whimper from Paige.

"And now..." Emily smiled. "Why don't we head upstairs, to that infamous blue bedroom?"

Paige didn't answer, but dipped her head.

"Paige?..." Emily asked, worried.

"Emily," Paige said, her voice trembling slightly. "I just want you to know... before things go further... I know we've been there before, but this time, it's... different, right?"

"Oh yes, it is," Emily confirmed. "What is it, Paige? Tell me," she asked softly.

"You know, I had this girlfriend back in Arizona... Brianna..." Paige muttered.

Emily stiffened a bit. "Yeah. Spencer told me."

"Well, she's in Florida now. I called her there. A few days after... you know, Toby's party. And... we talked," Paige said.

"And?..." Emily asked, trying to keep her voice even.

"And... it wasn't easy, but we both agreed to break up. I had to be honest, you know."

"Honest about what?"

Paige blushed. "About my feelings..." she said in a barely audible voice.

"Your feelings?..." Emily asked. She already knew, but she wanted Paige to say it.

"My feelings for you," Paige said, a little louder this time.

Emily felt her heart racing wildly.

"You mean...?" she asked.

"I mean," Paige said.

"Say it out loud... please," Emily whispered.

"I love you, Emily Fields," Paige confessed in a hoarse voice. "I never stopped loving you. I think I've been in love with you since I set my eyes on you in that cop car."

 _And now, everything is out in the open, I guess._

A part of her was still worried about Emily's reaction. She glanced at the other girl. Emily was staring at her, a look of pure adoration in her beautiful brown eyes.

"I'm in love with you too, Paige," Emily said softly.

"You... you are?" Paige asked, bewildered.

"Of course I am, you dummy."

Paige let out a loud sigh of relief. "Oh god... I was so afraid."

"I know... I was, too. But I believe we spent too much time being afraid, don't you think?" Emily asked.

Paige nodded. "Probably."

Emily kissed her gently on the lips. "And now, let me prove you how much I love you," she whispered with a seductive smile, before pushing Paige back on the couch.

* * *

They gave each other proof of their love multiple times that night, first on the couch in front of the fireplace, and then in the bedrooms (the master bedroom downstairs, and the other rooms upstairs).

"...Hanna was right," an out-of-breath Paige said after round three (or four?). "The blue bedroom is the best for sex. The mattress is amazing."

"Yeah, yeah," Emily laughed. "It's all about the mattress".

"Well," Paige admitted with a smile. "It has to be about my girlfriend, too."

"Oh, really, McCullers. Your girlfriend?" Emily asked with a teasing smile.

Paige blushed.

"Well, yeah," she said. "If you want to?" she risked, glancing at Emily.

"You're so cute, McCullers," Emily said.

"Is that a yes?"

"Do you even have to ask?" Emily retorted, before remembering suddenly that she had used the exact same words, so long ago, that famous Sunday morning in Rosewood.

Emily bit her lip, fighting a smile. "I guess some things never change..." she whispered.

"I guess not," Paige said with a small grin. "I remember too. I remember everything. How could I forget that window seat, by the way?" she teased.

Emily raised a brow. "Oh yeah? Well, there is a window seat in the green bedroom, you know," she said.

"Really?" an excited Paige asked. "How come we haven't tried it yet?"

Emily's clear laughter resonated in the room.

"Come on, Paige. Aren't you tired?"

Paige scoffed. "You're kidding, right? We've barely begun. And, I would never be tired of you."

"Oooh, always the sweet-talker, McCullers," Emily said.

"Come on, Fields. Let's prove that Hanna's wrong, and that the best room for love making is the green one."

* * *

Early on Sunday evening, a rather nervous Spencer Hastings parked her car in the driveway of her family's vacation house.

She walked slowly to the front door and knocked, not knowing what to expect. When the door opened, she was relieved to find a smiling Emily Fields in front of her, followed by an equally radiant Paige McCullers.

The two girls had considered pulling Spencer's leg by pretending that they were still mad at each other. But they had eventually decided against it; they both knew they couldn't fool anyone for long. Especially not Spencer Hastings.

Spencer studied her friends' faces and said: "Well, I guess everything went well?" Her tone was even, but she couldn't hide her smile.

"You could say that," Emily answered.

"I tried to call you several times on the house line," Spencer pointed out. "But there was no answer. I was really worried, you know."

"Yeah, well, we were busy," Emily said.

Spencer glanced at her best friend. "Yeah. _Busy_ ," she said with a smug grin. "I suppose you were. So very busy."

Emily blushed deeply, and Paige glared at Spencer.

"That's not any of your business, Hastings," she said.

"Yeah, yeah, McCullers. Still, that's too bad, the scenery is fabulous out there. Did you two even get out of the house?" Spencer asked.

Emily and Paige shared a guilty look, and smiled to each other. Apart from their talk on the beach the day before, they hadn't left the house.

Spencer rolled her eyes. "Oh god. Well, at least, Hanna's... plan worked perfectly. And I must admit that you're positively glowing. Both of you."

She rummaged in her messenger bag, and took out two cellphones from it.

"So, I guess you can have your phones back now. Oh, by the way, Paige, your mother tried to call you several times. I answered once, because I didn't want her to worry too much. She seemed to buy my story."

"What did you tell her?" Paige asked, intrigued and a little concerned at the same time.

"That you were out of town with the field hockey team for a competition, and that you had forgotten your phone in my car. You'd better call her soon, though."

"I will," Paige grinned. "Thank you, Spencer."

"You're welcome," the slim girl answered with a shrug.

"I mean... thank you for _everything_. Really," Paige said.

"I get it, McCullers. And again, you're welcome."

Paige engulfed Spencer in a tight hug, earning a surprised but happy look from Emily. Spencer patted Paige on the back and cleared her throat.

"Okay," she said. "Are you two lovebirds ready to go?"

"We are," Emily confirmed. "Can you help us with our bags? Oh, and we have Aria's, too."

"Yes," Spencer smirked. "The fake bag was part of the plan. By the way, I have to text Hanna soon, or I won't hear the end of it. She is _literally dying_ _to know_ , according to her last message."

"I bet she is," Emily giggled. "This was her idea, right?"

"Yes," Spencer admitted. "I was in favor of a more sophisticated plan, but well, she said, 'let's go back to the basics. Vacation house, beautiful beach, long weekend, and ta-da! Paily love'. Her own words."

"Paily...?" Paige asked, perplexed.

Spencer motioned between the two girls. "You, and you," she said briefly.

"We have a name?" Emily asked, raising her eyebrows.

"It seems," Spencer smirked. "You know Hanna."

* * *

The ride back to Rosewood took longer than expected, because of the weekend traffic around Cape May. A few miles outside of Philadelphia, Spencer had to stop for a fill-up. Emily and Spencer shared a coffee in the parking area of the station. Paige was sleeping in the back seat, and they hadn't wanted to wake her.

The two friends remained silent for a while, just enjoying the moment. The night was dark and quiet around them.

Then Emily took a last sip of her Americano and said:

"Can I ask you something, Spence?"

"Of course, Em."

"You still think I should apply to UPenn for next semester?"

"Definitely," Spencer said with a big grin. "And I can help you with your application. That's really what you want to do, Emily?"

Emily smiled at her best friend. Her eyes were sparkling with hope and excitement.

"Yes, Spencer. That's what I want."

Her eyes stopped upon the sleeping girl on the back seat, and she smiled tenderly.

"...And I know that I want her, too. I'll never let her go again."

*********************************** **THE END** ********************************************

* * *

 **A/N: .When I started writing this fic, I thought it was going to be a one-shot. But I grew attached to this story, and, well... "This Girl Is Trouble" was a little longer than expected. ! ;)**

 **You know, one of you told me in a PM "it's great that you're doing that (** _ **writing**_ **) for nothing", and I have to say, no, it's not for nothing - it's for all the LOVE you give me with the views, favs and reviews. It's all about that; It's awesome. It keeps me writing. And, well, Paily is all about love anyway, isn't it?...**

 **So, thank you, guys, for being along the ride with me. I mean it.**

 **And of course, thank you so much** _ **siophiefandom**_ **for your awesome work as a beta reader (and your constant support of this fic).**

 **Yes, guys, while she was writing her fabulous fanfic "All I Need" (I'm sure you already read it - if you hadn't, what are you waiting for?...),** _ **siophiefandom**_ **was ALSO beta reading my story. How great is that?!**

 _ **subway20**_


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